(Source: MIRS.news, Published 11/19/2022) Former state Senator and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Tom George has become the interim chief executive officer of the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS).
Currently, George is a practicing physician at the Kalamazoo Anesthesiology Pain Consultants. However, from 2003-2010, George was a Republican senator after serving in the House from 2001-02. He additionally served as chair of the Senate Health Policy Chair.
As a lawmaker, George sponsored legislation authorizing an insurer or health maintenance organization (HMO) to offer wellness coverage that could provide premium rebates or reductions, as well as reduced copayments or deductibles. The legislation was approved by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm in November 2006.
The Kalamazoo Republican was categorized as the underdog when he ran in the 2010 gubernatorial primary, as he lacked the significant financial resources of business executive Rick Snyder and the name recognition of the-state Attorney General Mike Cox and well-known Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
Recently, George has served as co-chair of the department of anesthesiology at Western Michigan University's Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, where he's a clinical assistant professor.
"Dr. George brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this new role, and we're excited to work with him and our physician colleagues throughout the state in advocating for our profession and promoting physician-led care that protects patient safety," said Dr. Neeju Ravikant, the president of the Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists (MSA), in a press release.
George was also president of the MSA from 1992 to 1994.
"We're proud to partner with the MSMS on important issues facing our patient communities in Michigan, and we're confident Dr. George will serve the MSMS members well," Ravikant said in his statement.
