CDC Funding
The CDC Arthritis Program, the only federal program dedicated specifically to arthritis, collects epidemiological data on the country’s No. 1 cause of disability. The CDC also connects citizens living with arthritis with evidence-based programs to help manage their disease.
Ask your senator and representative to: Support the allocation of $16 million for the CDC Arthritis Program in the FY2018 Labor-HHS-Appropriations Bill.
Address the Rheumatology Workforce Shortage
According to the 2015 Workforce Study of Rheumatology Specialists in the United States, conducted by the ACR, 54 million Americans—that’s one in four people—now live with arthritis, and approximately 79 million will have arthritis by the year 2040. Although the demand for arthritis care is growing, the pool of U.S. rheumatologists is shrinking as more rheumatologists retire from the profession and fewer new doctors enter the rheumatology subspecialty. According to the workforce study, the increasing demand for rheumatology care already outpaces supply, a gap that is expected to widen significantly by 2030. We are urging leaders on the Hill and in the administration to:
- Fund additional rheumatology residency positions through Medicare’s Direct Graduate Medical Education payment system;
- Support the Conrad State 30 & Physician Access Act, which would allow international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in underserved areas;
- Support the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program; and
- Preserve access to H1B visas for international medical students and professionals.
Repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)
The IPAB is a 15-member board, created as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), tasked with achieving savings for the Medicare program by making recommendations to Congress and the president to cut Medicare expenditures if spending growth exceeds certain thresholds. Unfortunately, IPAB’s recommendations have the power to impose cuts to rheumatology providers that will disproportionally affect small and rural rheumatology practices and the patients they serve. In addition, IPAB’s statutorily mandated fast track legislative procedures mean that IPAB proposals automatically become law. The legislative branch is prohibited from modifying IPAB measures unless three-fifths of the Senate votes against the recommendations or Congress passes legislation that changes the manner in which IPAB achieves targeted savings. In addition, IPAB recommendations are not subject to executive or judicial branch review. Nearly 30% of Medicare patients are being treated for arthritis, so it is crucial that proposed cuts to Medicare not affect the ability of rheumatologists to provide care to patients; as early and consistent care from a trained specialist is critical to prevent long-term disability in people with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
