The Lake-Sumter Medical Society is a membership organization comprised of Doctors of Medicine (MD) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) located within the two-county area.

Why be a member? Our mission is to support members through the difficulties of practicing medicine in today's challenging climate. Whether looking for help with business matters, staff issues, financial problems, contract negotiations, HIPAA, CMS, EHR's or more personal issues like burnout, your COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY is here for you. Join now!

Just starting out? With our ABC's of practice startup and a mentor, we can help you navigate the pitfalls.

Feeling bruised & battered by payors? Would some contract help be the answer? Our list of independent conractors is tried and true.

Staff problems? We have resources to help you with legal and ethical issues.

Want to provide health insurance? Ours is the best. Let Barrett, Liner & Buss give you a quote.

Bring us your problem! With resources, experience and collaborators, we will figure it out. You and your success as a physician is important to us. Make your Lake-Sumter Medical Society your FIRST CALL! That number is 352-74-9902!

Call to Action by the Florida Medical Association

Prevent Health Insurers From Price Fixing – Act Now

While the FMA agrees that patients should not be held responsible for surprise bills from out-of-network providers, it is also crucial that any legislative solution to this problem protects the practice of medicine and holds insurers accountable. Unfortunately, several provisions of the proposals currently gaining traction in Congress would hand disproportionate power to the insurance lobby at the expense of physicians and patients.

Specifically, under these proposals, Congress risks setting a terrible precedent by establishing government-mandated rates for services from out-of-network physicians. Government rate-setting in the private insurance market gives all the power to the health insurers and removes any incentive for them to negotiate reasonable rates with physicians — both those that are in-network and those that provide out-of-network care. If physicians are further disadvantaged in their ability to negotiate fair and adequate rates with insurers, their ability to continue to stay in business and deliver care to vulnerable patients will be jeopardized.

Fortunately, surprise billing can be resolved instead by an Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process to settle payment disagreements between insurers and physicians without increasing premiums or undervaluing care.

Given the urgency of this issue, we are asking you to help us educate Congress about the need for legislation that protects the practice of medicine and holds insurers accountable.

Please cut and paste the letter and send an email message to your congressional members to let them know the importance of this issue for the physicians of Florida.

Click here to find your local congressional representative
Click here for detailed instructions.
Click here for the letter to copy and paste.

Health Insurance Trust

Managed by Barrett, Liner & Buss, LTD, this extremely successful insurance plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield) has saved members thousands of dollars and earned them even more! For LSMS memberes only, our competative rates, excellent plans and opportunities for employees to upgrade, makes the LSMS Health Insurance Trust a product you MUST check out. Visit www.trustlsms.com to learn more.

Opioid Overdose - Helpful Materials for Patients

Living with chronic pain can be challenging. It is essential that you and your doctor discuss treatment options with all of the risks and benefits carefully considered. Some medications, such as prescription opioids, can help relieve pain in the short term but also come with serious risks and potential complications—and must be prescribed and used carefully. CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain helps increase providers’ ability to offer safer, more effective pain management. The Guideline and supporting resources support clinical decision making about prescribing opioids. Click here for helpful materials.

Our sympathies...

It is with deep sympathy that we acknowledge the loss of two local physicians. Both had been members of the Lake-Sumter Medical Society and will be greatly missed.

Steven Nerad, MD, passed on June 8, 2019 at age 59. He was a practicing cardiologist in Leesburg.

Louis Radnothy, MD, passed on June 20, 2019 at age 87. He started practicing in 1957 and was a family physician in Umatilla for the past 34 years.

We Care Welcomes NEW Executive Director

Debra Paradis is the new Executive Director of We Care of Lake County and it's very successful DME recycling program, We Share. Following in the footsteps of her predecesor, Carol Millwater Ryan, Debra has big things planned for this nonprofit that is the flagship of the Medical Society.

We Care encourages all specialty physicians to join their team of volunteer physicians, who serve uninsured, homeless, poor and working poor in Lake County. To become a VOLUNTEER PHYSICIAN visit their website www.wecarelakecounty.org or call Debra at 352-742-0021, ext. 11, for more information.

FMA Reports ~ Florida's Physician Workforce

Economic Impact: ONE PHYSICIAN generates $1.3 Million in annual revenue for a community.

The latest white paper from FMA Director of Payment Advocacy Jarrod Fowler, focuses on data from the Florida Department of Health's Physician Workforce Annual Report. Click here for a look at physician demographics, clinical workload, economic impact, compensation, Medicaid/Medicare acceptance and more.

Source FMA News

Sponsorship opportunities!

Let LSMS be your marketing vehicle to connect with physicians and practice managers. We have many options to promote your business while supporting this important membership organizaton. Click or call us for details and check out the Sponsorship Opportunities link on the left banner.

A not-for-profit organization founded by the Lake-Sumter Medical Society, We Care provides referrals for specialty care to the more than 30,000 disadvantaged residents of Lake County. While We Care provides the referral service, the commitment by local health care providers makes the organization's mission a reality.