ACS Advocacy Brief: August 25

California STOP THE BLEED Bill Sent to Governor for Signature

On August 22, the California State Legislature passed Assembly Bill (AB) 2260, Emergency Response: Trauma Kits. The bill, which is based on bleeding control principles defined in the ACS STOP THE BLEED® program, is now headed to Governor Newsom’s desk where he will have approximately 10 days to sign.

If enacted into law, AB 2260 will require the installation of trauma bleeding control kits in newly constructed public and private buildings. This bill would represent the first state-level policy in the US to add these lay first responder tools to non-residential areas where people gather.

This critical effort has been led primarily by the Committee on Trauma (COT); the Northern California, Southern California, and San Diego State Chapters of the ACS; and the primary legislative cosponsor of the bill, State Representative Freddie Rodriguez. In addition, a strong coalition comprising 11 other organizations, including the California Medical Association, California Emergency Nurses Association, American Trauma Society, and American Society of Anesthesiologists, played a significant role in passing the bill.

The ACS has published a SurgeonsVoice Action Alert for members residing in California, as well as submitted letters from the California state chapters, the COT, and the coalition to Governor Newsom urging him to finalize the bill.

For more information on how your chapter can lead legislative efforts in your state, contact Rebecca King at rebeccaking@facs.org.

The Road to a Likely Legislative Victory

It has taken a long, dedicated advocacy effort to get AB 2260 to the cusp of passage, as discussed in an August Bulletin state affairs update.  “Gaining additional grassroots, coalition, and testimony support from others, including emergency nurses, EMS personnel, and trauma centers really helped to demonstrate support in the healthcare community,” said Amy E. Liepert, MD, FACS, medical director, acute care surgery, and associate professor of surgery, University of California San Diego.

All three ACS California chapters organized STOP THE BLEED^® training sessions April 19 for state legislators. That same day, the Assembly Judiciary Committee held a hearing on AB 2260. COT member Thomas Duncan, MD, FACS, and Dr. Liepert testified before the Judiciary Committee in support of the bill.

Almost 1 month later, the bill passed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, which had rejected previous iterations. The bill then was sent to the Assembly floor for a full vote. A week later, on May 25, the Assembly passed the legislation with a 56-0 vote, moving the bill to the Senate where it passed 36-0 in June. The Senate-amended and final version passed the Assembly 52-0 earlier this week.

Through the efforts of state advocates and support from the ACS, California is set to make great strides in protecting the public from bleeding emergencies – and it may set an example for other states to follow.

You Could Be Next SurgeonsVoice Advocate of the Year

The SurgeonsVoice Advocate of the Year recognition program continues to monitor and recognize outstanding surgeon advocate participation, including responding to legislative calls to action, utilizing tools and resources, and engaging policymakers in Washington, DC, and at home. Top participants also help cultivate and maintain relationships with legislators, working to advance important ACS-supported advocacy and health policy priorities.

The 2022 Advocate of the Year will be announced at Clinical Congress. The top contenders as of August 22 include:

• Daniel Schaefer, MD, FACS
• Marion Henry, MD, MPH, FACS, FAAP (2021 winner – see below)
• John Armstrong, MD, FACS
• James Jeng, MD, FACS
• William Kasper, MD, FACS
• Krista Kaups, MD, FACS
• Mark Dobbertien, MD, FACS
• William Kasper, MD, FACS
• Steven Schechter, MD, FACS
• Nancy Gantt, MD, FACS

There is still time to increase your engagement and be considered for the award. Find ways you can get involved with ACS advocacy, and learn more about your personal advocacy activity by contact Courtney Eubanks, Grassroots and PAC Coordinator, at ceubanks@facs.org.

An Example to Follow: Marion C. W. Henry, MD, MPH, FACS, FAAP

What is expected from the ACS Advocate of the Year? The winner of last year’s award, Marion C. W. Henry, MD, MPH, FACS, FAAP, a board-certified general and pediatric surgeon based in Chicago, IL, was selected for her strong commitment to advancing and supporting ACS advocacy activities and programs.

Recognizing the importance of educating lawmakers about critical issues impacting surgery, Dr. Henry regularly contacts Congress via SurgeonsVoice, and supports the ACS Professional Association’s (ACSPA) political action committee, ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC. Dr. Henry also regularly attends the annual ACS Leadership and Advocacy Summit.

Further, Dr. Henry leads by example, serving as a member of the ACS Health Policy Advisory Council (HPAC) and the Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery, in addition to her involvement with multiple national committees centered on surgical education, women in surgery, and pediatric surgeons.

Final Opportunity: Applications for MISSION ZERO Trauma Grants Due Wednesday, August 31

Applications for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s Military Civilian Partnership for the Trauma Readiness Grant (MISSION ZERO) program are due Wednesday, August 31. Apply via the grants.gov website.

The grant supports and builds military-civilian partnerships that will improve the nation's response to public health and medical emergencies while exposing combat casualty care providers to severely injured trauma patients when not deployed. The grant will defray the administrative costs that civilian trauma centers incur and may be used to train and integrate military trauma care providers into these facilities.

An additional requirement is that an applying trauma center must have in place an existing agreement with the Secretary of Defense that enables military teams/providers to work at their facility.

The MISSION ZERO grant program was funded at $2 million for the first time in 2021, thanks in part to the direct advocacy efforts of the ACS, the Committee on Trauma, and the continued support of and collaboration with the Military Health System Strategic Partnership ACS.

Details about the grant and eligibility can be found in the Funding Opportunity Announcement. Access it by navigating to the “Related Documents” tab on the grant web page.

Register Now for 2022 On-Demand General Surgery Coding Workshops

To ensure quick prior approvals and more effective appeals, you and your staff need accurate and updated coding information. With on-demand CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) courses, the ACS has the information you need.

The ACS has partnered with KarenZupko & Associates to offer on-demand courses to help you and your coding staff stay on top of changes in CPT coding and documentation. These 60-90 minute on-demand course offerings allow you to learn from anywhere at your own pace.

The courses will help surgeons, practice administrators, managers, coders, and reimbursement staff ensure accurate, consistent, and complete coding.

On-demand courses currently available include:

• Office E/M Coding for Surgeons
• Avoid Denials! Code Hospital Services Correctly!
• Critical Care Coding and Documentation – 2022 Update
• Office Procedures – Document and Code Them Right

Each course is accredited for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, and discounts are available for team members or practice employees of ACS members.

Don’t give health plans a reason to decline payment. Using old codes, being unaware of the recent rule changes on split/shared visit billing, and misusing critical care coding and billing are all expensive mistakes.

For more information or questions about the 2022 ACS live coding workshops and on-demand courses, visit the KZA website or contact practicemanagement@facs.org.