The 2021–23 Washington budget enables consideration of pediatric rheumatologists for state loan forgiveness programs during the 2019–21 and 2021–23 cycles, making it the first state to include any rheumatologists in its loan forgiveness programs.
At the recent Florida Society of Rheumatology meeting, ACR executive vice president Steven Echard, IOM, CAE, emphasized the role of collaborations with state organizations in the ACR’s plans to modernize and expand its activities and offerings.
On May 20, ACR representatives held more than 100 video meetings with Congressional leaders about the need to reform step therapy and alleviate pediatric workforce shortages. You can still add your voice by asking your members of Congress to support the Safe Step Act and fund the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program.
The new Twitter account enables quick communication between ACR advocacy staff and ACR/ARP members about the policies, regulations and legislation that affect rheumatology patients and providers and how members can get involved.
With the approval of its Board of Directors, the ACR sent a letter to President Biden and newly minted Secretary of Health & Human Services Xavier Becerra, strongly supporting Janet Woodcock, MD, to be nominated as the FDA’s permanent commissioner. The ACR also congratulated Secretary Becerra upon his confirmation.
State-level wins that ensure immunosuppressed patients can access COVID-19 vaccination show the power of coordinated efforts by volunteer leaders, staff and members to translate the ACR’s work into actionable public policy recommendations, then amplify those messages through member engagement.
Advocacy and RheumPAC staff from the ACR and other medical specialty organizations gathered in Nashville this month to discuss the importance of making sure your members know the details of the work advocacy and the PAC are doing. Thus far, the ACR has had a very successful year in terms of its advocacy efforts. Following…
The ACR continues to actively advocate for certification reform and recently testified to the Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission. The Commission is leading a collaborative effort to assess the current state of continuing board certification, and to envision a framework that is relevant and meaningful to physicians, patients, hospitals and health systems….
Greetings, Advocates! Great news for the rheumatology community came on Feb. 9, when the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 was enacted. It contains several critical healthcare fixes pertinent to rheumatology. First, after hundreds of emails, meetings, letters to the editor, an op-ed, and a forceful 109-member coalition (led by the ACR and including many state…