Your UMA Membership = PRICELESS
When you join UMA, you hire powerful professional lobbyists to protect and advocate for the viability of your practice. By protecting your practice from legal, legislative, and regulatory intrusions, your UMA membership lets you focus on what’s really important: your patients. In addition, a plethora of tangible benefits are also available. Benefits are ONLY available to UMA members. Some benefits may be extended to practice staff and family:
FINANCIAL SERVICES
The mission of Physician Wealth Advisors - A UMA Company (PWA) is to improve the financial well-being and peace of mind of UMA member physicians by providing the best possible financial planning services. PWA stands alone in its popularity with our members. Important advantages include:
- Consultants are salaried, non-commissioned—their services are free to UMA members
- Only Work with Utah Physicians
- The Board of Directors is Physician-Led
- Excellent Second Opinion
$750 Value
Free Financial Plan Checkup – All member physicians receive a free analysis of their current asset protection and investment strategies
$250 an hour Value
Free Ongoing Financial Counseling
There is no charge for ongoing consultations with a salaried advisor as a member of the UMA.
Save Half off Asset Management Fees
Our average fee for assets under management is just over one-half of one percent, half the financial services industry average.
FINANCE PRODUCTS
Banterra Bank offers UMA Members Special Rates on Mortgages, Practice Lines of Credit and Relocation Loans.
INSURANCE PRODUCTS
COPIC offers UMA Members Malpractice and Risk Management resources.
POLITICAL ADVOCACY
UMA boasts a one-of-a-kind physician-only lobbying group in Utah, providing powerful physician and patient advocacy at the state and national levels. UMA provides effective representation before the Utah state legislature, UDOH, the Governor’s office, DOPL, and other regulatory bodies. UMA tracks and responds to over 150 bills each year in the legislature to protect physician interests and patient safety. For example:
- UMA has consistently lobbied for and received increases in Medicaid reimbursement for physicians or stopped proposed cuts in reimbursement.[1]
- UMA successfully passed a bill for physicians and on-call specialists regarding medical liability reform for emergency care, tightening the standard of evidence for those bringing a lawsuit
- UMA introduced a bill that would instruct counties to pay Emergency Room physicians for treating county prisoners. Instead of being paid nothing for their services, physicians now get 65% of PEHP rates minimum
- UMA stopped legislation that would make physicians liable for prescribing Schedule II substances without checking the controlled substance database first, should the patient become addicted
- UMA regularly blocks scope of practice expansions by non-physicians desiring to practice medicine by legislation rather than by education and training
- UMA passed prompt pay legislation requiring insurance companies to pay within 30 days of receiving a clean claim
- UMA supported a bill that now expands access to the health insurance market, increases market flexibility and provides greater transparency in the health insurance market
- Read More of UMA's Advocacy Efforts
COMPLIANCE GUIDANCE
Free Legal Information from Physicians’ Legal Guide
This is an online guide available to UMA members that can guide you through the legal problems in your practice.
Expert Information on Compliance with Government Regulations
UMA is prepared to give information on various billing, CLIA, and other compliance issues with government regulations.
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT and INSURANCE
This is your direct link to valuable practice-management resources, including consulting services, group discounts, discounted insurance plans, and credit card processing.
20% off Office Supplies -- Group Purchasing Opportunities
Verizon -- Up to 22% Discount for Verizon monthly phone plans and 25% off accessories
Human Resources Management (including Health Insurance Plans)
UMA recommends Resource Management Inc. (RMI) for members' needs for human resources management (payroll, employee benefits, and great health insurance plans for them and their employees). Special UMA member discounts are available for these services.
Credit Card Processing Discounted Rate of Only 1.75%
Eliot Management Group provides UMA members with a reliable, reasonable and efficient system to process credit cards at very favorable rates.
EDUCATION
The Utah Medical Association Foundation (UMA) provides accredited CME courses throughout the state, such as annual coding updates and joint sponsorship of specialty society and county society meetings. UMAF also accredits organizations in Utah to offer CME-designated activities.
Free or discounted savings on CME, coding, and other educational courses for UMA members and staff. Also information on compliance with government regulations that affect their practice.
Support to Local Specialty and Component Societies
UMA provides administrative support to the following specialty societies:
- Utah Psychiatric Association
- Utah College of Emergency Physicians
- Utah Society of Pathologists
- Utah State Plastic Surgery Society
- American College of Surgeons, Utah Chapter
- Salt Lake Surgical Society
- Utah Urological Society
UMA Foundation Grants
The Utah Medical Association Foundation issues financial grants for projects to improve or support the education of physicians and nurses; to improve facilities and treatment options; and to support public health projects that serve to mitigate or prevent disease – all specifically for the benefit of the citizens of Utah. Giving is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations. Some examples of projects funded in the past include Baby Your Baby, Check Your Health, Childhood Immunization Campaigns, Antibiotic Misuse/Overuse Prevention, Boys' Ranch Health Clinic, Rural Health Education Program, scholarships for student nurses, Eccles Health Sciences Library fund, etc.
UMA Foundation Medical Student Scholarships
Medical Students in Utah who are UMA members are eligible to apply for scholarships. In 2023, $48,000 were awarded among the three medical schools.
COMMUNICATIONS / PUBLICATIONS
UMA keeps you and your more than 3,200 member colleagues connected to each other, your patients, and organized medicine through an array of multimedia communication channels.
Member Information Center
Contact us for fast, courteous assistance in accessing member benefits.
Utah Physician Magazine
Mailed subscription of Utah Physician, UMA’s bi-monthly magazine featuring articles on local and national medical issues and topics, legal information, health updates, protecting and improving your practice, book reviews, legislative updates, and actions of the UMA House of Delegates and Board of Trustees.
MediByte Email Newsletter
Email communications are sent to UMA members to keep them abreast of the most current issues. MediByte contains current and leading national, local and public health news highlights including news updates from UMA, AMA and Public Health sources.
Physicians' Legal Guide
Free legal information from the online Physicians’ Legal Guide
MEMBER PARTICIPATION
Get involved, build leadership skills, and contribute your talents to UMA’s efforts. Elected, appointed, and volunteer positions are available to members ONLY.
Special Section Meetings
Member Sections offer meetings with dinners and speakers and/or other activities. Their activities include legislative action and updates, career development, mentoring, the how-to of starting practices and other necessary skills, and team building amongst members for support. Sections for Members include the following:
- Medical Students Section
- Residents & Fellows Physician Section
- Young Physicians Section
- Women Physicians Section
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Section
- UMA Alliance (for Physicians' spouses and partners)
County Society Meetings
County medical societies elect their own officers and plan their own calendar, which includes dinners, speakers, family events, legislative updates, etc. Each society participates in UMA governance via Trustees and Delegates.
UMA House of Delegates Annual Meeting and Committees
The House of Delegates is the Association’s policy-making body. Members are elected, appointed, or serve in an ex-officio capacity for one meeting per year. Committees meet regularly throughout the year to implement policy, formulate recommendations, and respond to issues as needed. Participation is included in all memberships.
TRAVEL BENEFITS
Travel Discounts
Discounts on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Entertainment worldwide via partnership with Localhospitality.com. See the Member Vendor Page
for details.
OTHER TANGIBLE BENEFITS
Resource Management Inc.
Human Resource Management services -Fees discounted by $10 per full-time employee and $5 per part-time employee per month.
[1] UMA lobbying benefited all physicians in Utah who see Medicare patients.