Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

2002: The Physician Payment Policy (3P) Workgroup was formed to coordinate payment activities and actions include code updates.

law as part of the Budget Control Act of 1997 and was intended to act as a mechanism to ensure that the yearly increase in the expense per Medicare beneficiary did not exceed the growth in gross domestic product (GDP). However, one inherent flaw of the formula was that it assumed a positive correlation between the GDP and Medicare spending. In a strong economy, GDP and spending would theoretically grow at a similar rate and payments would remain positive. However, in a weaker economy, when spending exceeded the GDP, the formula was designed to trigger reductions in Medicare physician payment rates. The triggered reductions came to fruition in the early 2000s. Congress prevented scheduled cuts from going into effect each year except for 2002, when physicians absorbed a 5.4% cut in their Medicare payments. The Academy in concert with the AMA and other national physician and nonphysician provider societies, continued to work with legislators to obtain relief from the reduction in physician payment. In 2003, the fee reduction was averted, and medical payment rates to physicians rose by 1.6% as a result of Congressional action. “The success of your Academy is measured by the success of its members, and we are delighted that we’ve had the opportunity to participate in this victory for you. However, the work is not done. The Academy continues its efforts for a permanent solution to the flawed Medicare update formula and to avert another reduction in payments,” said Dr. Johnson in the May 2003. Bulletin . Through collaborative advocacy efforts, cuts in the Medicare physician fee schedule, scheduled to occur in

2004 and 2005, were again stopped by Congressional action. The fee schedule experienced updates of 1.5% in 2004 and 2005. However, for 2006, Congressional action on the Deficit Reduction Act was not finalized before the cut went into effect on January 1, 2006. Therefore, the Medicare physician fee schedule experienced a -4.4% reduction in the conversion factor due to calculations of the SGR. The Academy continued to work for SGR reform so physicians were in a better position to participate in a fair and equitable Medicare pay-for-performance initiative that was quality, not financially, driven. Scope of Practice: Maximizing Legislative Success through Coalition Building The Academy remained committed to ensuring that patients received proper care for their hearing and balance disorders by opposing efforts by nonphysician providers to expand their scope of practice or pursue an inappropriate gatekeeper role at the expense of patient care, including efforts to displace proper physician referral and supervision of support personnel. With more bills being introduced at the state level that could have affected the practice of medicine, and otolaryngology specifically, relationship building was never more important. The Academy encouraged members to work alongside groups that shared a common purpose, such as state medical association, other national medical specialty societies, patients, and other contact points, to increase political strength and maximize potential for legislative success. Grassroots advocacy, through letters, email and personal contact, with legislators, was the vital core of any state legislative effort. “Your Academy has established cooperative alliances with other medical specialties and with our partners in the industry who have a vested interest in advocating for better healthcare and collecting the data needed to substantiate the safety, efficacy, and value of the care that we provide. Evidence-based medicine is no longer in our future; it is in our present!” said Dr. Johnson in the September 2003 Bulletin .

2002: Launched release of ENT Link 2.0 with enhanced professional content aimed at referring physicians, as well as offered optional, password-protected, secure communications with other healthcare professionals.

In 2003, the Academy joined the new Joint Surgical

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