History - 1976

New clinics in Minnesota in 1976 included Minneapolis Anesthesia Associates Ltd. and West View Clinic in West St. Paul.

The West Virginia MGMA (state association) was founded in 1976.

The MMGMA Winter Meeting on February 22-24 at the Minneapolis Airport Holiday Inn featured John Dilly, Director of Comprehensive Health Planning.

The Summer Conference on August 13, 1976, was in Eveleth, Minn. (home of the Hockey Hall of Fame).  This is the 25th anniversary meeting of MMGMA.  President Jim Vitali invited past presidents.  Minnesota membership reached about 130 in this year.

Other officers were Dale Molesworth, Vice President; Vivian Linquist, Secretary; David Adams, Treasurer.  Committees included Legislative Liaison and MMA Liaison headed by David Adams and including Stan Salzman, Luther Boie, Dale Mosesworth, Woody Glad and Bill Costello.  Blue Shield Liaison included Sandra Roem, John Brust, Al Burmeister, Joe Dillenburg and Bill Gerber.  Membership was headed by June Shaver and Will Youngquist.  Third Party Billing was headed by Tom Lietzke and Art Braun, Jerry Mockenhaupt and Kenneth Nelson.

Jim Vitali's commentary in 1992 included the following:  "In 1976, when I was President, I had the Summer Conference in Eveleth as you listed.  It was well attended and the night of the banquet we had a local theater group put on a dinner play for us.  As I recall, it was too long, but well done and well accepted."

Kenneth Peterson, looking ahead to the Midwest Section Conference in Winnipeg, urged that the Minnesota association hold its meeting at that same place and time in support of both organizations.  Membership declined that invitation.  Ken also resurrected the MW Memo to serve as a vehicle to publicize "Our First International Midwest Section Meeting" (to be held on July 10-14, 1977).

Minnesota Association Board items for the year included:

• Increase dues from $10.00 to $20.00;
  
• Several health planning agencies have requested appointment of a clinic manager to their committee;
  
• Tenth annual BC/BS meeting at Radisson South;
  
• Taped submissions -- several clinics are getting 70 percent turnaround in three days on the first pass, 90 percent in 14 days;
  
• Effective July 1, 1976 all claims will be accepted on code only;
  
• Lietzke for Third Party Billing Committee recommended approval of the "AMA uniform health insurance form."  This was moved by Lietzke and seconded by Terry Rawstern.  It was opposed by Gerald Truscott and Robert Gruenhagen; and
  
• Policy on who may attend the general sessions -- considerable discussion -- resolved:  Board may set guidelines for membership only and notify attendees in advance.
  
  

The 50th Annual Conference of MGMA was held on October 9-13, 1976 in Miami under the leadership of President Robert J. Wright, FACMGA, of Dallas.  In additional to a wonderful celebration of the 50 years of association and the introduction of Mr. Stevens' history of MGMA, the conference presented a very interesting three track program.  Membership in the Association was approaching 2,000.  It was noted that the staff had grown from two in 1969 to over 30 in 1976.

The Third International Congress of Group Practice was held in Paris in this year.  MGMA was represented by President and Mrs. Robert J. Wright.

John E. Holliday of Elkhart, Ind., was President of ACMGA.

The 29th Annual Conference of the Midwest Section of the MGMA was held June 20-23, 1976, at Maddens Lodge, Brainerd, Minn., under the leadership of President Virginia E. Kellen.  Minnesotans were very active in the presentation of this conference.  President-Elect of the section was Kenneth C. Peterson from the Grand Forks clinic.  Past President was James J. Vitali.  The conference committee included Registration Chairman Tom Lietzke; Publicity Chairman, Edward Gerloff; Local Coordinator, June Shaver; Tennis for Ladies, Evelyn Asplin; and New Member Chairman, Russ Roskens.

The Midwest Section by this time had 595 members, again a close second to the Western Section.  Total membership of MGMA was 2,086.