On Sept. 12–13, nearly 100 rheumatologists, health professionals and patients participated in the Advocates for Arthritis event on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of those living with and treating rheumatic diseases. Key Requests & Congressional Support Attendees visited 116 members of Congress and their staff members to: Advocate for changes to the Centers for…
Advocacy Spotlight: Dr. Matt Heinz, Candidate for Congress from Arizona District 2 (Tucson)
RheumPAC is the ACR’s political action committee dedicated to increasing rheumatology’s presence on Capitol Hill. It is the only PAC dedicated to the interests of all rheumatologists and their patients. RheumPAC began in 2007 with the purpose of building contacts, influence and visibility within Washington, D.C. for rheumatology. RheumPAC works to support and elect pro-rheumatology…
The ACR’s Advocates for Arthritis 2016 Legislative Fly-In Heads to Capitol Hill
On Sept. 12–13, ACR advocates will be back on Capitol Hill as part of the Advocates for Arthritis legislative fly-in. This annual event brings together rheumatology professionals and patients to advocate on behalf of the rheumatology community. The core issues on which the advocates will focus this year include advocating for dramatic changes to the…
Prepare Now—Not Later—to Meet New Medicare Reimbursement Requirements
Providers are urged to prepare quickly to meet the new Medicare reimbursement requirements mandated by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). “The first measurement year starts Jan. 1, 2017, so providers need to prepare quickly,” emphasizes William F. Harvey, MD, MSc, Government Affairs Committee chair, American College of Rheumatology (ACR). 2…
Rheumatology Advocates to Visit Capitol Hill
On Sept. 12–13, a group of more than 100 rheumatologists, rheumatology health professionals and patients will converge on Capitol Hill to take part in advocacy efforts and provide education on issues affecting the rheumatology community. During the 2016 Advocates for Arthritis event, the group will visit more than 100 Congressional offices, says ACR Government Affairs…
More U.S. Counties May See Obamacare Marketplace Monopoly
NEW YORK (Reuters)—Nearly a third of U.S. counties will likely be served by only one insurer that participates in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace in 2017, according to an analysis published Aug. 28 by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The 31% of U.S. counties that will have just a single option of insurers within the…
Prior Authorization Reform Achieves Some Success
In early August, the American Medical Association (AMA) held its annual state advocacy strategy meeting in Chicago. This meeting pulls together all state medical societies and national specialty organizations. Over three days, participants engage in roundtable discussions on issues, solutions and best practices for health policy. Networking opportunities abound. The meetings showcase legislation that has…
Aetna Pulls Back on Obamacare Health Insurance Plans in 2017
NEW YORK (Reuters)—Aetna Inc., the No. 3 U.S. health insurer, on Monday said that due to persistent financial losses on Obamacare plans, it will sell individual insurance on the government-run online marketplaces in only four states next year, down from the current 15 states. Aetna’s decision follows similar moves from UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana…
The ACR’s Advocacy at State Legislature Level in 2016 Focuses on Biosimilars, Step Therapy
A majority of state legislatures have concluded their work for 2016. The ACR’s state advocacy efforts continued to focus on policy benefiting rheumatologists and patients alike. The two dominant issues this year were biosimilar substitution and step therapy. Biosimilar Substitution Biosimilar substitution remains the most prevalent issue throughout the states. The ACR continues to monitor…
Health Has Improved in States That Expanded Low-Income Insurance Options
(Reuters Health)—In states that expanded either their Medicaid programs or private insurance options for low-income Americans, beneficiaries used more outpatient and preventive care and less emergency care. They also had better subjective overall health, compared with low-income residents of states with no expanded coverage. All states participate in Medicaid, a partnership with the federal government…
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