The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 News
  • 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
      • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
      • Gout Resource Center
      • 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 / President’s Perspective: ACR Calls on Members to Advance Rheumatology

President’s Perspective: ACR Calls on Members to Advance Rheumatology

April 1, 2013 • By Audrey B. Uknis, MD

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

You Might Also Like
  • President’s Perspective: The ACR Creates Strategic Plan to Advance Rheumatology
  • President’s Perspective: The ACR and ARHP Advance Rheumatology Through International Collaboration
  • Congress Can Begin Work to Advance Rheumatology Before New Year
Explore This Issue
April 2013
Also By This Author
  • President’s Perspective: Will the Physician Payment Sunshine Act Shed Light on Conflicts of Interest?
Audrey B. Uknis, MD
Audrey B. Uknis, MD


In his speech in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1966, Robert F. Kennedy referenced the saying, “may you live in interesting times.” Indeed, today we live in not only interesting times, but amazing times. Along with continual advances in technology, true breakthroughs in treatment for our patients, and the rapid transformation of the healthcare landscape, reforms are in development that could substantially alter the physician payment system for the first time since 1997. Also of great concern is the threat of ongoing decreases in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, undermining the future of discovery and the health of our research and training enterprises—threats that have the potential to intensify the crisis in our already stressed workforce.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE
Strength to Seize this Moment
ACR President Audrey B. Uknis, MD, Treasurer E. William St.Clair, MD, Past President James O’Dell, MD, and, President-Elect Joseph Flood, MD, (left to right) advocating on Capitol Hill.

President John F. Kennedy noted, “To those whom much is given, much is required.” With these amazing times in which we live, there comes a responsibility to seize this moment. I have confidence that the ACR, with the strength of conviction and sense of responsibility of our members, has the capability to seize this moment of unprecedented opportunity. Each of us must contribute to the collective effort that will shape the future of healthcare.

Shaping the Future of Physician Payments

Medicare’s physician payment formula—the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula—dates back to 1997. Over the past decade, rheumatologists and other physicians have faced increasingly large cuts, and Congress has had to step in 16 times with short-term patches to prevent drastic consequences. The ongoing threat of cuts continues to jeopardize patient access to rheumatologists. Just as problematic is this system’s focus on rewarding volume rather than quality of care. The undervaluation of nonprocedural, face-to-face care and coordination also jeopardizes patient access to care and the very future of cognitive specialties like rheumatology.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Our lawmakers agree that the SGR must be replaced with a more rational formula. Expertise and quality of care must be recognized as more critical than quantity of care. Moreover, the experts in the field must be responsible for setting the standards for excellence; advanced training and clinical expertise must be a critical part of any successful formula.

The good news is that we have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to work together to help shape how reform moves forward. The ACR has been working with the key committees in Congress over the past two years on components of a “repeal and replace” plan to deal with the SGR. Chairman Fred Upton, of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, has said that he wants a bill on the floor of Congress before August. In addition to other recommendations, we are asking that the bill include a provision to reverse the 2% sequester cuts to Medicare payments that went into effect in April.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 | Single Page

Filed Under: Legislation & Advocacy, President's Perspective Tagged With: AC&R, Advocacy, Congress, rheumatologyIssue: April 2013

You Might Also Like:
  • President’s Perspective: The ACR Creates Strategic Plan to Advance Rheumatology
  • President’s Perspective: The ACR and ARHP Advance Rheumatology Through International Collaboration
  • Congress Can Begin Work to Advance Rheumatology Before New Year
  • ACR Board of Directors Advocates for Rheumatology on Capitol Hill

Meeting Abstracts

Browse and search abstracts from the ACR Convergence and ACR/ARP Annual Meetings going back to 2012.

Visit the Abstracts site »

Rheumatology Research Foundation

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

Learn more »

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

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

Copyright © 2006–2022 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

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