After breakfast, the advocacy teams hit the Hill to educate lawmakers and staffers about the importance of preserving Medicare patient’s access to rheumatology, enabling patient access to treatments, and the impact research funding has on public health and local economies. Due to the ACR/ARHP advocates’ efforts, 16 new cosponsors signed on to legislation to limit patient cost sharing on specialty tier medications, the Patients’ Access to Treatments Act of 2012.
The ACR used a microsite to make the Advocates for Arthritis experience even more rewarding. The site featured a Virtual Hill Day where ACR and ARHP members and patient advocates could share their stories with Congress from home. View member and patient stories, pictures, and videos from this year’s event at www.advocatesforarthritis.org.
Interested in Attending Advocates for Arthritis in 2013?
Mark your calendars. The next Advocates for Arthritis conference will be held September 23–24 in Washington, D.C. The ACR is looking for passionate ACR/ARHP members as well as patient advocates to educate Congress on issues affecting rheumatology professionals and patients. For questions about Advocates for Arthritis, e-mail [email protected].
