North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) President Robert E. Schaaf, MD, FACR and NCMS CEO Robert W. Seligson were in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss policy issues like reforms to the Medicare Recovery Audit Program (RAC), repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate, meaningful use, implementation of ICD-10 and ensuring that any increases in compliance or reporting burdens on physicians are accompanied by commensurate payment increases and not penalties. They spoke with experts including Tim Gronniger, senior adviser on health care policy for President Obama.
“We had access to staffers who have the ear of the President and key Congressional leadership on these issues,” Seligson said. “We were able to make our case on these important topics to people who can really make a difference in policy debates.”
In addition to the White House visit, Seligson and Schaaf also spent time on Capitol Hill, discussing policy with Kristin Welsh, Deputy Health Policy Director for the US Senate Finance Committee; Brett Baker and Matt Hoffman, staffers for the Subcommittee on Health for the House Ways and Means Committee and Emily Murry, senior policy advisor to the House Majority Leader.
As part of the AMA Advocacy Conference, which brings together the leadership of nine other medical societies in addition to NCMS, Seligson and Schaaf also visited the offices of North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, Representatives David Price and George Holding and Representative Alma Adams.
While repeal of the SGR and meaningful reform of the RAC audit program have yet to be decided, rest assured that NCMS’ positions on these issues have been clearly and forcefully communicated to those who can make a difference in our nation’s capital.
