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ADVOCACY |
No one can advocate for our interests and those of our patients better than we can.
Advocacy in Action - Physician Voices Heard on Capitol Hill
Advocating on behalf of ophthalmology and our patients truly does make a difference. The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery joined 14 other subspecialty and specialized interest societies as American Academy of Ophthalmology Congressional Advocacy Day (CAD) Partners to help promote attendance at the April 10, 2008 CAD in Washington, D.C.
Groundwork was laid on a massive legislative effort to stop the 10.6 percent reduction in Medicare physician payments that was to go into effect on June 30, 2008 when a record umber of congressional visits were made by Eye M.D.s who took part in CAD thanks to the extra promotion by The American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the other 14 CAD Partners. Thanks in part to the sustained efforts of ophthalmologists and other physicians across the country, on July 15, 2008, Congress overrode President Bush’s veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) by a 383 to 41 vote in the House and a 70 to 26 vote in the Senate. The legislation immediately became law, giving physicians a temporary, 18-month reprieve from the devastating 10.6 percent physician payment cut implemented July 1 and the 5.5 percent cut scheduled for Jan. 1, 2009. Instead, physicians will get a 0.5 percent positive payment update through 2008 and a 1.1 percent increase in 2009. Delivering a unified voice on the impending crisis that would have occurred on June 30, 2008 helped to create strong presence for our profession and our patients and greatly improved the effectiveness of our advocacy efforts.
SAVE THE DATE!
2009 Congressional Advocacy Day
April 22-23 (in conjunction with 2009 Mid-Year Forum)
Capital Hilton Hotel
Washington, D.C.
Online registration will be announced in January 2009
Three years ago, you (the membership of ASOPRS) gave 25,000 dollars to the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s surgical scope fund to help support the “Surgery by Surgeons” movement. Let’s look to see what the AAO did with our investment. In 2005, several scope of practice legislative battles with Optometry were entered into. The Academy’s record was 17 wins and no losses. This included killing legislation that very nearly gave optometry (> 30,000 optometrists in the U.S.) surgical privileges in Texas to perform blepharoplasty and other surgical periocular procedures. ASOPRS presented the AAO with another check in 2005 for five thousand dollars. In 2005, the Academy’s OPHTHPAC made contributions to many campaigns nationwide and was successful in getting candidates they sponsored in greater than 90 percent of the races.
As an aside, non-MD dentists in California (~200,000 dentists nationwide) won legislation that gave them privileges to perform blepharoplasty and other periocular surgeries. Efforts by many dedicated individuals and groups in organized medicine across specialty lines (including members of ASOPRS and AAO) lobbied hard and were able to get this legislation overturned by a gubernatorial veto.
Do I have your attention yet?
As you know, the New Jersey legislature created a 6 percent tax on cosmetic procedures a couple of years ago. Similar legislation was later introduced in at least 6 other states in the union. A cosmetic surgery coalition was formed consisting of several specialties in medicine and other interested parties (membership list enclosed) to turn back this unfair tax. The American Academy of Ophthalmology contributed $25,000 to this coalition and the legislation was defeated in EVERY state. As your president, I formally thanked AAO Executive Vice-president Dunbar Hoskins for his support in helping turn back this unfair tax (see photo). (photo RAD/Hoskins Chicago thanking for coalition support)
I feel that Advocacy is critically important to our future. The information presented above lends credence to that. My favorite quote from my experience on the hill has been “If you are not at the table, you are probably on the menu” (Peter Whitted). I have appointed an ad hoc Advocacy Committee chaired by Dr. Phil Custer Dr. Custer will direct the committee to develop a comprehensive plan for ASOPRS to advocate in the most efficient fashion. This will include determining what initiatives to advance or support, which groups to network with, and budget appropriately.
I encourage each of our members to get involved! Grassroots action works.
It is important to give of your time or money to support these causes. We are a small organization and need everyone’s efforts to keep us successful. Our success may depend on how well we can leverage the efforts of larger organizations. Directing financial support from ASOPRS members to medical organizations that have many interests in common with us provides and excellent means of ensuring that our concerns are heard beyond our own discussion groups. Please give as generously as you can to the Surgical Scope fund, OPHTHPAC, or your state society. The AMA remains the 800 pound gorilla in Washington. Their new slogan “Together we are stronger” is very true. MDs of all fields must work together as divided we will surely fall. We need about 50 more members to join the American College of Surgeons to get a seat at their table. If you are eligible to become a member, please make the effort to join their ranks. They too are a very strong voice on Capital Hill and work VERY closely with the AMA and the AAO and other physician groups. I have witnessed the POWER of this synergy of physicians and the influence they have with our elected officials.
Meanwhile, use the links below and get connected in Washington, D.C.! Be an oculoplastic advocate!
