At an ACR COVID-19 town hall on COVID-19, infectious disease experts discussed the most up-to-datecurrent information on pre- and post-exposure monoclonal antibody therapy, oral antivirals and vaccines for rheumatology patients.
In 1916, a handful of conservation advocates successfully lobbied Congress to create the National Park Service, which now protects more than 85 million acres of U.S. land. Dedicated rheumatology advocacy has lasting effects, too, as evidenced by several policy wins in 2021 and efforts underway for 2022.
States increasingly take the lead on issues critical to our members and the field of rheumatology, including copay accumulator bans, white bagging restrictions, prior authorization and drug pricing.
A new law in Texas establishes a continuous prior authorization exemption for physicians who earn a 90% approval rate on prior authorization requests for a given service over a period of six months.
Physician burnout takes a toll not just on providers, but on their patients and practices as well. Speakers at a recent ACR town hall provided research-based tips to help address the root causes of burnout.
The final rule, issued Nov. 2, finalizes many proposed policies, including a decreased conversion factor, billing for shared visits and teaching services, continuation of telehealth services and inclusion of an ACR-led Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Value Pathway.
“Advocacy is not about bribery. There’s nothing dirty about advocating for your patients and the future of your profession in terms of workforce, therapeutic advances and the financial viability of our practices. It’s our duty to do this,” he says. In his new role as the RheumPAC chair, he wants to help ACR/ARP members “see how vital these activities are to the success of our profession.”
Kenneth G. Saag, MD, MSc, is a nationally recognized expert & researcher in the epidemiology of gout, osteoporosis & rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Saag brings a penchant for problem solving & a strong belief in the power of collaboration to his newest role in the College as the 85th ACR president.