ACR and ARP members converged on Capitol Hill in May to urge lawmakers to support legislation related to workforce expansion and patient access to care following training sessions presented by ACR staff dedicated to legislative affairs.
Prior Authorization Reform: Bill Calls for Faster Care, Fewer Denials
With 290 cosponsors, ACR-supported legislation to streamline prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans has met a support threshold that may allow the lead sponsor to force House action.
ACR Leaders to Meet with Members of Congress at May 12 Capitol Hill Event
The meetings will focus on legislation affecting rheumatology, including bills on graduate medical education and use of copay assistance funds.
State Legislative Issues to Watch in 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.
ACR Convergence 2021: Advocacy Successes & Challenges
The ACR’s advocacy efforts over the past year have helped put critical prior authorization and step therapy legislation in front of Congress. Learn more at ACR Convergence 2021.
Lively, Practical Training at Advocacy 101
Amid spirited discussions on drug pricing and insurance challenges, participants got hands-on experience advocating for current bills regulating prior authorization and pharmacy benefit managers.
A Look Inside the Advocate Experience at Advocates for Arthritis
Eric Dein, MD, shared rheumatology perspectives with five congressional offices on Sept. 28 as part of the virtual Hill Day. Read his hour-by-hour account, including staffer education, legislative requests and prior authorization woes.
Bipartisan DXA Bill Under Consideration in Congress
The Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act would set a $98 floor for Medicare reimbursement for the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone density test.
RheumPAC Donors Discuss Healthcare Legislation, Drug Pricing with Rep. Lloyd Doggett
At a virtual event with the chair of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health, RheumPAC donors were able to share concerns and recommendations about drug pricing policies and how they affect providers and patients.
What to Expect in State Legislatures in 2021
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.