As the result of years of coalition work with partners at the AMA, the ACR recently celebrated a major advocacy win when the FTC announced an investigation of PBM business practices. Join or renew your AMA membership before Sept. 1 so the ACR can keep delegate seats to drive action within the AMA.
The ACR’s resolution addressing inappropriate Medicare Administrative Contractor policy processes was adopted, and two co-led resolutions on ARPA-H funding and saline shortages also passed the policy-making body.
After two years of special virtual sessions, the AMA House of Delegates will reconvene in person June 10–15. ACR representatives will focus on Medicare physician payment system reform, national drug shortages, funding the new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and more.
Working with the AMA provides a megaphone to amplify rheumatology’s voice at both federal and state levels. This year is the AMA’s next five-year membership review. Join the AMA or renew your membership now to keep the ACR represented in AMA policy bodies.
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.
Spurred by a recent Cigna policy, the ACR will lead a resolution to oppose insurance companies providing financial incentives for patients to switch treatments. Several specialties are cosponsoring the resolution for a special meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in June.
At the virtual interim meeting Nov. 13–17, the ACR delegation led a successful bid to update American Medical Association policies on home infusion and copay accumulators and supported efforts against the Most Favored Nation drug pricing model.
At the American Medical Association House of Delegates Special Meeting held Nov. 13–17, 2020, the ACR’s delegation successfully led an effort to update AMA policies on home infusion and copay accumulators.
If passed, the ACR-authored resolution will direct the AMA to advocate for copay accumulator bans at state and federal levels. Several other specialties and state medical associations have joined the resolution as cosponsors.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMA House of Delegates meeting planned for June has been canceled, but the ACR’s delegation remains ready to advocate for both ongoing and new rheumatology issues, including patient protections in step therapy, prior authorization and expansion of telehealth.