The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / A Look Inside the Advocate Experience at Advocates for Arthritis

A Look Inside the Advocate Experience at Advocates for Arthritis

October 8, 2021 • By Eric Dein, MD

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

On Tuesday, Sept. 28, I visited Capitol Hill virtually as part of the annual Advocates for Arthritis “fly-in” to discuss the ACR’s legislative agenda to improve patient care. The previous afternoon, ACR advocacy leaders and staff led an interactive training webinar where the other advocates and I dived into the big issues and learned some easy best practices for approaching our virtual Hill meetings. The main issues for this year’s conversations were to increase transparency and reform prior authorization and prescription drug pricing. This was my third time working with the ACR on an advocacy day, and I kept a journal of my experiences throughout the day to document what virtual advocacy looks like as I spoke with congressional offices in New Jersey and Connecticut.

You Might Also Like
  • Advocates for Arthritis 2021 Applications Now Open
  • Advocates for Arthritis Will Target Step Therapy, Workforce Shortage
  • The ACR’s Advocates for Arthritis 2016 Legislative Fly-In Heads to Capitol Hill
Eric Dein, MD

Dr. Dein

8 a.m.: With a busy day on tap, I’m ready to see my first patient. She is a new patient for evaluation of psoriatic arthritis. When I shake her swollen hand, she winces in pain. She tells me that she had been doing great on guselkumab for psoriatic arthritis, until she switched jobs and insurances. Her new insurance requested a new prior authorization, and she has been off of medication. She is worried now that she will have to stop working due to her symptoms.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

10:45 a.m.: After finishing with my morning patients, I log on to Soapbox, the digital platform that coordinates the meetings on the Hill. I meet Deborah Desir, MD, a rheumatologist at Yale Medicine and secretary of the ACR’s Executive Committee, who will be joining me in our advocacy efforts today.

11 a.m.: Go time! Our first meeting is with Gloria Nuñez, legislative correspondent for Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). Dr. Desir begins with the first ACR legislative agenda and outlines the convoluted process of obtaining prior authorization for starting new patient medications. She describes the frustration in conducting peer-to-peer discussions with payer physicians who are not trained in rheumatology. Ms. Nuñez was not aware that the House of Representatives had proposed legislation to improve the transparency and efficiency of prior authorization process in Medicare Advantage plans, and we asked that she talk with Sen. Booker about supporting a Senate companion bill.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

11:30 a.m.: After a good first meeting, we meet with the office of the other New Jersey senator, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). We meet with his health legislative correspondent to again discuss the ACR legislative issues. I describe the process of how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) act in between pharmacies, insurance companies and drug manufacturers. The companies negotiate rebates with drugmakers and select the best financial deal for the PBM, an industry that makes nearly $500 billion per year. These rebates do not get passed along to consumers, and drug prices continue to rise greater than the pace of inflation. When I select a medication for my patient, I chose from their insurance’s preferred medication list, which is based upon these drug rebates rather than medical studies of efficacy or safety. Sen. Menendez’s office was interested in decreasing drug pricing and was surprised to learn that PBMs directly impacted clinical decision making.

Pages: 1 2 | Single Page

Filed Under: Legislation & Advocacy Tagged With: Advocacy, Advocates for Arthritis, Congressional outreach, Legislation & Advocacy

You Might Also Like:
  • Advocates for Arthritis 2021 Applications Now Open
  • Advocates for Arthritis Will Target Step Therapy, Workforce Shortage
  • The ACR’s Advocates for Arthritis 2016 Legislative Fly-In Heads to Capitol Hill
  • The ACR’s Advocates for Arthritis Volunteers Meet with Congress

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)