About this newsletter
The ACP Advocate is an e-newsletter, edited by the College's Washington, DC governmental affairs division, created to provide you, our members, with succinct news about public policy issues affecting internal medicine and patient care. To learn more about ACP's Advocacy and to access the ACP Advocate archives, go to www.acponline.org/advocacy. |
|
|
Welcome to The ACP Advocate
Hi, I’m happy to report to you that our Leadership Day event held last week was very successful. Almost 400 ACP members came to Washington to learn about the legislative process and ACP’s issues, and then to meet with their members of Congress to advocate for our positions. Our first story this week gives you an overview of the event.
Our second story this week details for you a set of recommendations that ACP recently sent to the House Ways and Means Committee. In response to a request from the committee for ways that physicians could lead efforts that would improve patient-care, we sent a letter urging them to back the Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act of 2012 that would repeal the SGR. Take a look at the article for more about what that legislation would do and what our other recommendations were to the committee.
Finally, in our last story, related to Leadership Day, we introduce you to this year’s winner of the Neubauer Award (formerly the Key Contact of the year). Dr. Andrews has been tireless in advocating with her members of Congress in Connecticut for better care for the underserved. I encourage you to take a moment to look at the story and see what she has to say about why it’s important for physicians to be involved in advocacy.
For more coverage of what's happening in Washington, take a look at my award-winning blog, The ACP Advocate Blog by Bob Doherty. You can also follow me on Twitter @BobDohertyACP.
And, as always, please send your feedback and suggestions on this newsletter to: TheACPAdvocate@acponline.org.
Yours truly,
Bob Doherty
Senior Vice President
Governmental Affairs and Public Policy
American College of Physicians
|
|
In focus
Surgeon General Wins ACP Public Service Award
On June 7, as part of ACP’s Leadership Day program, U.S. Surgeon General, Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA, was presented with the Joseph F. Boyle Award for Distinguished Public Service. The award is presented each year to a government official or physician acting in an official capacity who has been outstanding in improving our health care system. Dr. Benjamin was recognized for her work on the development of a National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy.
|
ACP Comments on Medicaid Pay Parity
This week ACP submitted comments to CMS on the proposed rule on Medicaid pay parity. Under the proposed rule Medicaid payments for primary care services furnished by primary care and related physicians (e.g. internal medicine subspecialists) would be set at rates no lower than the Medicare rates. While the College is very supportive of the overall goal, the letter addressed several areas where the rule could be improved, including the need to decrease administrative hassles that create barriers to physician participation in Medicaid. |
|
|