On Saturday, June 23, 2007, the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates convened in Chicago; the meeting’s theme was advocacy. The ACR was represented by its delegate Melvin Britton, MD, and alternate delegate Gary Bryant, MD.
Public Service and the Rheumatologist
Civic duties may soon be too burdensome for even willing public servants
Top 11 Ways You Can Advocate
Many of the specialty’s challenges and goals hinge on your participation
Advocacy: An essential component of professional practice
In our challenging and cost-conscious healthcare environment, advocacy is an essential skill for all health professionals. As rheumatology health professionals, we advocate for our patients with insurers, institutional administrators, employers, and teachers. To bring about needed healthcare reforms, we must also learn to be effective political advocates.
ACR Board Lobbies Congress
ACR Board of Directors members recently spent time in Washington, D.C., discussing rheumatology-related issues with members of Congress, including Sen. Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy (D-Mass.). The senior senator from Massachusetts is the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which oversees health legislation that affects rheumatologists.
Contact Congress Today about Medicare Reimbursement
Changing the Medicare physician reimbursement formula so that it more accurately mirrors the cost of care is a top legislative concern for the ACR this year. The reimbursement scale is currently calculated using the sustainable growth rate (SGR), which is based on the gross domestic product and is irrelevant to medical care. The formula has steadily decreased physician reimbursement since its inception.
Rheumatology Goes to Washington
Volunteers converge on Capitol Hill for the ACR’s annual Advocates for Arthritis Day
Make Our Voice Heard
It’s up to you to take rheumatology’s case to Congress
PAC a Punch on Capitol Hill
New political action committee will be a voice for rheumatology
A Renewed Sense of Purpose
ACR’s success depends on its members