Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

Chapter 3: 2007 – 2011

Healthcare-related legislative issues dominated state and federal news to an unprecedented extent during this timeframe. The overwhelming number of issues and their broad ramifications forced many organizations to prioritize their efforts, and in some cases, develop new innovative strategies to achieve their legislative goals. The Academy focused on collaboration and working to strengthen its presence in various coalitions that aligned with identified state and federal priorities. By expanding participation in such efforts, the Academy established a stronger platform for its advocacy issues and strengthened relationships with colleagues across the medical spectrum. With healthcare reform hotly debated in Congress and the states, the Academy’s grassroots efforts continued to play an increasingly important role. In the area of advocacy, health policy, and government affairs, the Academy projected intense engagement centered on fluctuating legislative and regulatory priorities. In that anticipation, the leadership had the foresight to prepare the organization for the shifting healthcare reform environment. The Academy employed a flexible, multi-factor approach for influencing legislative, regulatory, and private payer policies to advance the efforts of shaping health policy and practices for fair and equitable payment for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Despite the otolaryngology’s relatively small size in the greater house of medicine, the specialty continued to maintain a larger-than-life profile when it came to its advocacy and health policy efforts. At the federal level, the need to replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR) took precedence as did new federal policy regulating tobacco products and opposition to unlimited direct access to audiologists. Other areas of focus that dominated this timeframe included legislation addressing truth in advertising and medical liability reform. In 2008, the AAO-HNS was able to educate legislators on the importance of preventing the impending Medicare payment cuts. Moreover, a number

of Academy members joined with thousands of other physicians in urging their federal legislators to oppose the cuts. This united voice was instrumental in the legislation’s eventual passage that halted the dramatic reduction in payment. Also, in 2008 the Academy continued to advocacy for research and infant screening with the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act of 2009. From the health policy perspective, the Academy’s primary focus was on socioeconomic and federal regulatory advocacy and educating members about the impact of regulatory changes on their practices. The work of the health policy arm was to provide members with tools and resources to empower them in payer advocacy efforts. In ensuring fair reimbursement and favorable payer policies for members, the Academy was successful in many initiatives with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and private third party payers. The Academy continued to advance new technology and work for fair physician payment through participation on the AMA’s CPT Editorial Panel and with the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC). At the state level, the Academy maintained its strong working relationship with members on such issues as scope of practice, payment reform, and licensing requirements. With a continued focus on collaboration with the BOG leadership and state societies, the Academy and its partners successfully defeated scope-of-practice expansion bills in several states. Grassroots advocacy was another important part of the Academy’s efforts. Spanning state and federal legislation and regulatory issues on several fronts, the voice of the Academy was strong because of the groundswell of support through the Academy’s network of involved members. Dr. Kennedy elaborated on that point in the 2009 Annual Report saying, “As the AAO-HNS/F works for the future of the specialty, collaborative efforts shape the

As physicians, we must work together with our colleagues and patients to reform healthcare delivery. We also need to have a strong voice in the rapidly developing

healthcare reform legislation on Capitol Hill.”

– David W. Kennedy, MD, 2008-2009 President, May 2009 Bulletin

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