Doctor to lead national panel
San Antonio Dr. Zeke Silva III has been appointed to lead a national committee tasked with helping shape the future of medical payments.
The American Medical Association announced Silva will start a two-year term Monday as chair of its 32physician member Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee, which makes recommendations to the federal government on what is needed to provide medical services in terms of time and resources and how much physicians should be paid for providing them.
The committee works with 300 medical advisers and health care professionals from the various medical fields to evaluate recent advancements in science and technology and what they mean for patient care.
Silva said the committee’s goal is ensuring that patients receive the most effective, up-to-date care and that physicians have the resources to provide that care.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services considers the group’s recommendations when determining the fee schedule for medical services under the Medicare program.
The government health insurance program enrolls 62 million people, mostly 65 and older and those with disabilities. It accounts for about $780 billion in spending annually.
The San Antonio radiologist has been an active member of the AMA committee since 2016.
“The rise of the digitalnative physician will have a profound impact on health care and patient outcomes, and the RUC will be increasingly called upon to assess the impact of digital health technologies on patient care,” AMA board Chair Russ Kridel said.
Silva also has served in leadership positions for the Texas Medical Association’s council on socioeconomics, American College of Radiology’s Commission on Economics and Society of Interventional Radiology’s Economics Committee and is founding board member of the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute, a Virginia-based medical imaging socioeconomic research organization.
In San Antonio, Silva is a member of the board of directors for the South Texas Radiology Group and Diagnostic Imaging Management, medical director of radiology at the Methodist Texsan Hospital and an adjunct professor at the UT Health San Antonio.
The House passed legislation Friday that would create about 1.5 million acres of new wilderness and incorporate nearly 1,200 miles of waterways into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System as Democrats move to protect more public lands — with President Joe Biden's blessing.
The bill passed by a 227-200 vote, mostly along party lines.
Biden has set a goal of conserving at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and ocean by 2030, a move that supporters say will help curb global warming while preserving some of the nation's most scenic lands for future generations of Americans to enjoy. The bill faces an uncertain future in the 50-50 Senate, where support from at least 10 Republicans would be needed.
Republicans said the wilderness area designations would restrict use of those lands. Lands designated as wilderness receive the government's highest level of protection and are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles with allowed activities focused on recreation such as hiking, camping and horseback riding.