The ACR has long supported efforts to reduce drug prices through many of the provisions included in the House-passed version of the Build Back Better Act. However, the current wording of one provision puts patient access to Medicare Part B treatments at risk.
With a record-high 46 first-time contributors, this year’s matching campaign raised more than $26,000 from members and another $17,000 from volunteer leaders who made a pledge for each donor, advancing advocacy efforts on behalf of rheumatology.
The ACR will be working with the Senate as they consider and debate the important healthcare policies contained in this massive legislation.
After a year marked with rheumatology gains in evaluation and management valuation, as well as quality reporting, ongoing ACR efforts target impending Medicare reimbursement cuts and other practice challenges.
If passed, the ACR-led resolutions will direct the AMA to advocate for state-level pharmacy benefit manager reform and to fix broken Medicare Administrator Contractor processes. Several other specialties joined the ACR’s resolutions as supporting cosponsors.
The ACR’s advocacy efforts over the past year have helped put critical prior authorization and step therapy legislation in front of Congress. Learn more at ACR Convergence 2021.
Earlier this month, RheumPAC donors joined the Iowa representative, an ophthalmologist, for a virtual discussion about healthcare legislation and how it can help specialty providers and their patients.
Rheumatologists may need to downsize and restrict patient care if Congress doesn’t act to block significant cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates totaling 9.75% in 2022.
Professional practices, state societies and other organizations can support RheumPAC’s work with corporate funds through the RheumPAC Advocacy Fund.
The 2021–23 Washington budget enables consideration of pediatric rheumatologists for state loan forgiveness programs during the 2019–21 and 2021–23 cycles, making it the first state to include any rheumatologists in its loan forgiveness programs.