ACS Advocacy Brief: February 6, 2025

ACS-Led Trauma Coalition Urges Congress to Reauthorize PAHPA

An ACS-led coalition of organizations representing physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, trauma centers, burn centers, and blood centers sent a letter to Congress this week calling on lawmakers to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).

PAHPA was first enacted in 2019 to improve the nation’s response in public health and medical emergencies. The important programs included in PAHPA expired on September 30, 2023. The letter, which was directed to House and Senate leadership, urges lawmakers to immediately pass PAHPA reauthorization legislation that was agreed to in December but not yet enacted.

Visit SurgeonsVoice today and tell your members of Congress to reauthorize PAHPA!

Dr. Lorna Breen Act Is Reintroduced to Protect Healthcare Workforce Well-Being

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act was recently reintroduced in the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is the only federal law dedicated to preventing suicide and reducing occupational burnout, mental health conditions, and stress for healthcare professionals.

Reauthorizing this legislation is essential for continued funding of grant programs that provide mental and behavioral health resources for healthcare professionals and have saved countless lives over the last 5 years.

The ACS urges Congress to swiftly pass the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act.

Contact your legislator to voice your support!

Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Reverse Medicare Payment Cut

A bipartisan group of Representatives recently introduced the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act. The ACS strongly supports this critical legislation that would prospectively reverse the Medicare physician payment cut that went into effect on January 1. 

Introduced by Representatives Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), John Joyce, MD (R-PA), Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA), Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Ami Bera, MD (D-CA), Carol Miller (R-WV), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), the legislation would reverse the 2.8% payment reduction and provide a 2.0% inflationary adjustment for the remainder of 2025. This action would give surgeons needed relief and ensure critical access for vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries.

These steps, while not long-term reforms, will be critical in alleviating the financial pressure currently affecting the private practice community, in particular.

Since 2001, physicians have seen their Medicare physician payments decrease by 13% in real terms between 2001 and 2024 before indexing for inflation. Physicians in private practices continue to face ongoing financial struggles to keep their facilities operational and must also contend with a payment system that has not kept pace with inflation.

The 2.8% cut to payments earlier this year coincides with a 3.6% increase in medical practice cost inflation as measured by the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). When adjusted for inflation, Medicare physician payments have decreased by nearly 30% in this same period.

The ACS stands ready to partner with Congress in enacting crucial long-term reforms to the broken payment system. Make your voice heard—contact your Representative and tell them to support this important legislation.

Learn Effective Advocacy, Meet with Lawmakers during Advocacy Summit

Learn the skills to make advocacy inroads, and then make an impact by meeting leaders from Congress. Register today for the in-person ACS Leadership & Advocacy Summit, April 5–8 at the Grand Hyatt Washington, DC Hotel. 

The Summit offers comprehensive and specialized sessions providing ACS members, leaders, and advocates with topics focused on effective surgeon leadership, as well as interactive advocacy training with coordinated visits to Congressional offices.

Train for Advocacy and Meet Lawmakers

The Advocacy Summit will take place Sunday evening, April 6, to Tuesday, April 8, and will provide US members with an update on ACS policy priorities. 

The Keynote Address this year will be delivered by Margaret Brennan, moderator of CBS News’ Face the Nation and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent.  She has a history of experience in interviewing global political leaders, as well as scientists and health authorities, which she will bring to bear in the topic of the talk, Political Outlook & News of the Day.

In addition to a keynote address on Sunday evening and Monday panel sessions, advocacy training and scheduled congressional visits will be provided as part of the event. ACS staff will send ACS members to the Hill equipped to ask Congress for progress on a range of issues.

Attend the Leadership Summit to Learn Important Skills

Preceding the Advocacy Summit, the Leadership Summit includes 2 days of programming covering an in-depth exploration of leadership principles and offers compelling speakers addressing key topics in surgical leadership.

The Summit starts on Saturday, April 5, with optional workshops on making the most of media opportunities, sustaining lifelong competency, and the foundation of trust. On Sunday, the traditional programming showcases compelling speakers addressing key themes in surgical leadership.

Learn more and register today.

ACS Delegation Advances Surgical Priorities at AMA Meeting

The 2024 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates took place November 8–12 in Orlando, Florida, where healthcare leaders and organizations made in key decisions that will shape the future of healthcare. Following is roundup of takeaways from this pivotal gathering.

The ACS delegation, led by Jacob Moalem MD, FACS, achieved significant progress, and the AMA will continue advocating for key issues of consequence to surgeons.

The ACS delegation includes Dr. Moalem, John Armstrong, MD, FACS, Ross Goldberg, MD, FACS, Leigh Neumayer, MD, FACS, Naveen Sangji, MD, FACS, Ken Sharp, MD, FACS, Daniel Dent, MD, FACS, Luke Selby, MD, FACS, Lena Napolitano MD, FACS, and Resident and Fellows Section Delegate Michael Visenio, MD.

The delegation provided testimony throughout all Reference Committees, supporting and opposing various items of business impacting surgery.

Additionally, the ACS delegation was further buoyed by Dr. Armstrong in his role as vice speaker of the AMA House of Delegates.

Key Issues

Streamlining CME

Resolution 306, “Streamlining Continuing Medical Education across States and Medical Specialties,” was introduced by the ACS to address challenges for physicians holding multiple maintenance of certifications and who practice medicine in more than one state. The resolution was adopted by the AMA, ensuring greater resources are provided to minimize the continuing medical education (CME) reporting burden healthcare providers face. 

Reforming Prior Authorization

Delegates expressed frustration over the administrative burden and delays caused by prior authorization, which can hinder timely patient care. Resolution 814 called for fair reimbursement for physician’s time and their office staff when dealing with prior authorization requests. The AMA reiterated its commitment to reforming the prior authorization processes, advocating for streamlined and efficient systems prioritizing patient needs.

Combating Scope Creep

The issue of scope creep, where non-physician providers encroach on the practice of medicine, continues to be a concern for physicians. Resolution 210 called for laser surgery to be performed only by licensed physicians or by individuals who are appropriately trained. The ACS delegation provided testimony in support of this resolution, emphasizing the importance of patient safety and the need for qualified practitioners to perform laser procedures. The AMA reaffirmed its stance against scope creep, emphasizing the importance of physician-led care and the need for protecting the scope of practice for physicians.

Telehealth

The AMA recognized the potential of technology to enhance patient care and improve physician efficiency. However, delegates emphasized the need for technological solutions that are user-friendly and are compensated for appropriately. Resolution 219, "Advocate to Continue Reimbursement for Telemedicine Visits Permanently," reflects the AMA's commitment to ensuring physicians are fairly compensated for the use of telehealth services. While existing policies were adopted in lieu of this resolution, the matter remains important in the ACS and AMA. The ACS will continue advocating for technology to improve patient outcomes.

The delegation's contributions demonstrate the impact the ACS has on shaping healthcare policy. The ACS delegation is addressing critical issues facing surgeons and patients. We will advocate for solutions to the bureaucratic burdens of prior authorization, combat scope creep that undermines patient safety, and ensure fair reimbursement for telemedicine services.

Looking Forward

The participation of the ACS delegation at the interim meeting set the stage for continued collaboration and advocacy in the upcoming year. With a focus on improving patient care and supporting surgeons, the ACS delegation is now gearing up for the 2025 AMA Annual House of Delegates Meeting, June 6–11 in Chicago, Illinois.

The ACS welcomes feedback and encourages collaboration with all stakeholders invested in improving healthcare. Learn more about the ACS delegation's initiatives and activities, express your interest in collaborating, or propose new AMA policies to advance the ACS mission by contacting Cory Bloom at cbloom@facs.org.

Watch Webinar on Transforming Episode Accountability Model

On January 22, the ACS and the Institute for Accountable Care (IAC) hosted a webinar on Medicare’s new mandatory bundled payment model, the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM).

TEAM begins in 2026 and will require more than 700 acute care hospitals to take on financial risk for five different 30-day surgical episodes, including care for major bowel procedures, coronary artery bypass grafting, surgical hip and femur fracture repair, lower extremity joint replacement, and spinal fusion.

The webinar, “Are You Ready for Medicare’s Transforming Episode Accountability Model?,” focused on helping participants understand their hospital's risk exposure and performance improvement opportunities for this mandatory bundled payment program. Representatives from more than 90 participating hospitals registered for the event to learn more about what the model will mean for surgery in the mandatory hospitals and to ask questions about how the program will be administered.

The webinar featured Robert Mechanic, MBA, IAC executive director, and Jennifer Perloff, PhD, a senior scientist at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, discussing their detailed analysis of the financial implications of TEAM. Frank Opelka, MD, FACS, former Medical Director of Quality and Health Policy at the ACS, discussing the clinical aspects of the model and ways that surgeons and hospitals might begin to improve care coordination and control spending more effectively.

View the recorded webinar and more information about TEAM.