Government Affairs Newsletter

In the July 2012 issue:

• Congress adopts bill addressing drug shortages, antibiotic development

• What’s next for physicians after Affordable Care Act ruling

• Healthcare Decision One Week Later: Analysis and Implications for Providers

• Medical Boards Step Up Disciplinary Actions

• Hosting a Political Event - By Bruce Leslie, MD Newton, MA

State and National Advocacy

AAOS State and National Activities: Provides information on issues, advocacy tools and listservs.

ASPS Health Policy and Advocacy: Provides information on key issues, programing and grassroots efforts.

AMA Advocacy

Join or renew your AMA membership now and help ensure the ASSH maintains representation in the AMA House of Delegates (HOD).

The AMA rules stipulate that in order to qualify for a seat in the AMA House of Delegates 25% of ASSH members must be AMA members. 

The AMA is the primary voice of organized medicine in the United States.  Furthermore, AMA institutions such as the CPT Editorial Panel and the Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) are vital to the best interests of ASSH members.

Within the realm of physician reimbursement the ASSH would be significantly disadvantaged should we lose our seat in the AMA HOD.  Our ability to have advisors to the AMA RUC and CPT® Coding processes is predicated on our having a seat in the AMA HOD.  Should we lose that seat we would still be able to participate in these processes but we would lose the advantages associated with those positions.  We would lose our ability to directly interact with the AMA in regard to coding issues.  We would not have access to the complete RUC database or to the other critical information that is contained in the agendas of the RUC and CPT Editorial Panel.