The ACR also lobbies for increased funding for the Veterans Administration and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). “There are lots of other places we want to see increased funding for research,” says Dr. Flood.
The committee advocates for Medicare reform, including the simplification and re-evaluation of the prescription drug plan. “Part D benefits apply to our treatments, and we want to make sure that our patients are covered for those treatments,” says Dr. Flood. “Most of our patients fall into the donut hole. We also support the off-label use of drugs when it’s worthwhile. When pharmacy or insurance representatives make decisions, they want cost-only use of meds; we know what’s best for our patients.”
The committee continues to fight for a reversal of Medicare reimbursement cuts to both the technical and the professional components of dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA) testing of bone mineral density (BMD). “I don’t think the government really wants to prevent early warnings of fracture risk, but the overall costs to CMS of imaging went up 28% last year,” says Dr. Flood. “CMS is rightfully concerned about this, but I think we unfairly got swept up in their desire to cut back.
“We want to take the BMD issue head on,” he continues. “First, we’ll start a public relations campaign, perhaps including volunteer organizations concerned with osteoporosis. Second, we’d like to appeal to CMS at a higher level. Ideally, we’d like to have a meeting with the administrator.”
Dr. Flood and his committee members also keep an eye on quality-of-care issues such as pay-for-performance. “We believe those [measures] ought to include our input,” explains Dr. Flood. “The ACR has put together a starter set of 16 quality indicators….Any kind of performance indicators should be relevant and no further burden of time” to busy rheumatologists.
Arthritis Bill Highlights
If it becomes law, the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act will support arthritis research and education. Here are some highlights from the bill.
- Enhance the National Arthritis Action Plan;
- Develop a National Arthritis Education and Outreach Campaign;
- Organize a National Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Summit;
- Support juvenile arthritis research; and
- Encourage health professionals to enter the field of pediatric rheumatology.
2007 Budget and Legislative Issues
Most recently, the ACR added its voice to other organizations that insisted on restoring continued funding to the Centers for Disease Control lupus registry that collects data and provides a basis for future research. “We were successful,” says Dr. Flood. “The government re-instituted funds for that, and the research is continuing.”
