To say it has been an interesting (the science and the memes), tumultuous (the politics) and heartbreaking (the pandemic and social injustice) year is an understatement. There have been moments of grace and inspiration that we hope have kept everyone going. As we look to 2021, we take lessons from our experiences in 2020. Washington,…
New state legislatures face many continuing issues, including budget shortfalls, vaccine distribution problems and strained healthcare infrastructure. However, opportunities exist for significant policy wins for rheumatology, particularly on the issues of step therapy reform, telemedicine and copay accumulators.
At the virtual interim meeting Nov. 13–17, the ACR delegation led a successful bid to update American Medical Association policies on home infusion and copay accumulators and supported efforts against the Most Favored Nation drug pricing model.
With a new Congress and many new legislators in key leadership positions, your support today will help RheumPAC start the year off strong.
As a new year begins, Government Affairs Committee Chair Blair Solow, MD, takes stock of ACR advocacy wins in 2020 and issues to watch in 2021, including workforce issues, continued telemedicine access, prior authorization relief, Medicare reimbursement and drug pricing.
In case you missed it, on Nov. 20, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a department within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that it will overhaul the payment system for Medicare Part B (i.e., infusion) drugs on Jan. 1, 2021. The plan is called the Most Favored Nation (MFN)…
Despite high voter turnout and many new faces entering Congress, minimal power shifts in most levels of government will have implications for the ACR’s advocacy agenda in 2021.
At the American Medical Association House of Delegates Special Meeting held Nov. 13–17, 2020, the ACR’s delegation successfully led an effort to update AMA policies on home infusion and copay accumulators.
After ACR and other provider and patient organizations expressed concerns about a proposed copay accumulator policy set to take effect Jan. 1, 2021, UnitedHealthcare has indefinitely delayed its implementation but is continuing to explore options to reduce spending on specialty drugs.
The ACR recently had an opportunity to speak with Anthem leadership to follow up on concerns about specialty pharmacy acquisition mandates being implemented by Anthem plans in California and New York. Anthem clarified that they do not expect these mandates to impact community-based providers. Beginning in December 2020, Anthem plans in certain states will require…