History - 1986

Three Minnesota association members were founded in 1986. These included Minsep Epilepsy Care in Minneapolis, Northern MRI, Duluth and Minnesota Spine Center which grew out of the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center, established in 1974.

Jeanine Schlottman became Administrator of Multicare Associates of the Twin Cities when Vivian Hoese resigned to take other employment. In 1993, Vivian is Administrator of Cardiac Surgical Associates, P.A.

The Minnesota Association leadership for the year included President Allen Tank; Vice President Susan Williams; Secretary John Ostrander; Treasurer Marge Canning; Legislative Liaison Jean Trygstad; Third Party Liaisons Jo Ellen Bertram and Sylvia Luck; MMA Liaison David Adams; Education, William Amery; Exhibits, Bunny Iverson; Membership, Jim Tierney; newsletter, Marie Hanauska and Mavis Gagne.

President Al Tank served the association in many capacities over a long period of time. He carried the valuable salary survey project for many years. He was Minnesota's first representative to the ACMGA Fellows' Forum which started a new level of communication and participation with college affairs. He led a continuing dialogue for many years about needed changes in the Minnesota workers' compensation program.

The Winter Conference for 1986 was held on February 5-7 at the St. Paul hotel. Suzette Biskey and Mike Nylan were involved in the coordination of the conference, including exhibits, of which there were 28. One hundred ninety members registered out of an estimated 260 member enrollment at that time.

The Summer Conference was held July 23-25, 1986, at the Sheraton Park Place in Minneapolis. David Rothschiller was Coordinator and Bunny Iverson handled exhibits of which there were 34. Registration was 181 members plus 34 spouses and 19 others. Membership was 270 at that time.

Regarding membership, there were 260 in February, 270 in July and 313 on October 3.

Cash balances for the year were $25,909 on January 1, 1986, and $24,810 on December 31, 1986.

Business reports and actions for the year cover continuing, disciplined attention to a large number of important issues. This can perhaps be best appreciated by itemizing several of them:

• Changed Treasurer's report to calendar year;
  
  
• Minnesota is third in number of states membership, first in college Fellows;
  
  
• Third Party Liaison: several Workers' Compensation carriers have gone bankrupt; Blues invite MMGMA to name a clinic manager to the Blues' Advisory Board and offer to sponsor a speaker or dinner at a meeting; Jo Bertram will chair upon Craig Weflen's resignation; hold harmless clauses in HMO contracts; July 16, 1986 update -- COBRA of April 1986 imposes a ceiling on Medicare payments for laboratory services; HCFA has published a national fee schedule for lab services; MMA will publish new Workers' Legislative Conference; issues -- professional liability insurance, definition of a physician; AIDs legislation; growing concern for the uninsured;
  
  
• Education: teleconferencing is progressing; the next one will be in Rochester and Minneapolis on legislative issues; MMGMA supports ACMGA self-assessment program with $1,000 grant and Dave Adams' Tuesday working session in Denver; 1986 Minnesota workshops -- computer education in Rochester on two consecutive Fridays, future possibilities are time and stress management or assertiveness;
  
  
• Membership: life membership -- Bert Boss; suggestion that "in the future, the state organization might follow membership guidelines currently being developed by MGMA"; Board members studying (June 1986) six-page "fact sheet on proposed restatement of MGMA (national) membership categories and criteria"; July 28, 1986 -- 270 members; Tierney put membership roster on diskettes; (October 3, 1986) 313 members;
  
  
• Newsletter: Marie Hanauska handing off to Mavis Cagne; proposing to publish written committee reports as well as board minute summaries; (October 3, 1986) Marie and Mavis resigned newsletter responsibilities; Board agree that the vice president should serve as the editor; and
  
  
• MMA: MMGMA members question MMA's policy on endorsing suppliers;
  
  

The 1985-1986 MGMA directory indicates membership of 124 from Minnesota.

The 60th Annual Conference of MGMA was held October 14-17, 1986, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles under the direction of President Robert W. Fleming, Chairman of Administration at the Mayo Clinic. Official registration figures indicate 1,332 member plus 298 others attended for a grand total of 1,630.

The 25th Annual Conference of the Midwest Section of MGMA was held July 9-12, 1986, at Omaha, Nebraska, under the direction of Joseph W. Mitlyng Jr., of the Marshfield, Wis. One hundred twenty-two members were registered there. Representative of the enormous changes taking place in group practice was John Q. Paulsen's presentation on the developments over a period of about five years at the Fargo Clinic moving in a very short time span from one location to 15 or 20 locations over a large geographic area. He emphasized the complexity of these rapid changes and the impact they have on the group's ability to deliver the high quality of care and service to which they are committed.

ACMGA's President in 1986 was William E. Costello.

MGMA membership by section was as follows: Southern 1,848, Midwest 1,610, Western 1,487, Eastern, 1,307. Other 110, for a total of 6,362.