Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Articles tagged with "Advocacy"

2011 Legislative Outlook Important for Rheumatology

  |  

Next year is shaping up to be an important year for rheumatology on Capitol Hill. Issues that remain unresolved by the last Congress include concerns within the Affordable Care Act, the need for a stable Medicare system with fair physician reimbursement, funding for the pediatric subspecialty loan repayment program, and appropriate reimbursement for specialty care. Most congressional leaders, newly elected or re-elected, know very little about arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. That is why it is critical that rheumatology professionals reach out and educate them on the importance of specialty care and the impact these diseases have on one’s quality of life. 

Arthritis on the Rise

By Sue Pondrom  |  

CDC notes significant increase in arthritis-attributable activity limitation

DEXA Champion Visits Local Rheumatologist

  |  

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) visited the Arthritis Center of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Ark., in August to speak with local rheumatologist Michael Saitta, MD, to discuss the importance of access to osteoporosis screenings.

Advocating for Arthritis: My First Time on the Hill

Colin C. Edgerton, MD  |  

Amidst the most momentous week of the year’s tumultuous healthcare reform activities, we arrived in Washington, D.C., for the annual ACR Advocates for Arthritis Capitol Hill Fly-In. This was to be my first visit to Congress. Although my alma mater, Georgetown University, was a short distance from the Capitol dome, as a student I had little interest in the political process—particularly as it related to medicine. Now, however, as a young rheumatologist, I am increasingly aware of the impact health policy has on my daily practice. I have also watched the healthcare reform debate unfold over the last year, recognizing that this is a critical time for physicians to be vocal and active. There is a great deal at stake, and we are surrounded daily by the very issues debated in Washington. Why not take our opinions directly to the decision makers?

In Advocacy, Slow and Steady Wins the Race

  |  

Earlier in the year, it seemed that healthcare reform was stopped in its tracks because of the Massachusetts Senate special election—which placed Republican Scott Brown in the seat held by the “Liberal Lion,” Edward M. Kennedy. The Senate Democrats lost their supermajority and the momentum to pass President Obama’s healthcare reform legislation subsided. But through strong lobbying by the president, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590)—comprehensive healthcare reform—on March 21, and the president signed the bill into law on March 23.

Call Your Lawmakers the Week of March 15

  |  

The elimination of consultation code services, the repeated battle to avert Medicare cuts, the need for increased research funding, the creation of a loan repayment program for pediatric rheumatologists, and fair costs for drug therapies are all issues that members of Congress have influence over. All of these issues affect the rheumatology profession, whether you are a clinical practitioner, researcher, academic, or health professional.

Don’t Just Watch Health Policy Unfold—Take Action

  |  

If you are tired of just watching and reading about health policy decisions that affect you, your patients, and your profession, take action today to help shape the future of healthcare. The ACR offers multiple ways for you to stay informed about legislation affecting rheumatology professionals and can teach you how to influence the decisions made on Capitol Hill.

Reach Out To Local Media to Promote Rheumatology

  |  

The ACR is committed to advocating on behalf of its members. This could be on Capitol Hill, by working with insurance providers, or by working with the media to promote the work of rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals and advance the issues affecting them.