November 2016
This Washington Brief is going to be dedicated to our advocacy agenda as we prepare for the new Administration and new Congress.
Development of Regulatory Relief Agenda
With transitions in power come new opportunities that may benefit physicians. One of those opportunities that we are watching closely is the possibility to secure significant reductions in regulatory burdens that take time from patient care and increase costs. We are currently in the process of creating a regulatory relief agenda which we will provide to the Trump Transition Team and key Congressional offices.
Building Consensus on Further MACRA Improvements
Comments on the MACRA Interim Final rule are due on December 19th. We anticipate the Trump Administration to propose some changes to MACRA regulations through the proposed fee schedule rule, which the Administration is scheduled to issue in late June of 2017. As we have over the last 18 months, the AMA will seek to forge consensus on recommendations to improve MACRA to ensure it works for all physicians.
Future of Health Reform
The AMA’s comprehensive policy on health reform provides a solid foundation for upcoming deliberations on changes to the Affordable Care Act and other programs. In the coming weeks, the AMA will be hosting a series of discussions to prepare and position its members to effectively engage in the debate about the future of healthcare reform.
Response from our latest House of Delegates meeting
The MSS had numerous policy victories in the HOD at the 2016 Interim Meeting. The AMA issued a press release and two-page statement that outlines and reaffirms the AMA’s existing policies on health reform. These materials were shared with the Trump Transition Team, the Obama Administration, and Congressional leaders. The initial response from Republicans and Democrats to the AMA’s visions for health reform has been positive. I have been told by multiple staff members that the MSS acted very professionally regarding this issue at the meeting. All of you continue to inspire not only myself, but the rest of the AMA as well.
Other MSS victories include the following. First, the AMA will provide an informational report on its actions taken regarding the removal of restrictions on federal funding for firearms violence research, pursuant to Resolution 201. Also, pursuant to Resolution 008, the AMA amended its policy on blood donor deferral criteria and will advocate for the elimination of the current deferral policy.
Advocacy Week Impact and the CARA bill
Our Advocacy Week on the Opioid Epidemic was a huge success. We, of course, had a massive impact on social media and in our schools. However, we also had a significant impact on Congress. The CARA bill was in danger of not being funded for fiscal year of 2017. Since the launch of our campaign, Congress has given more careful thought to CARA funding. It is unlikely Congress will fully fund CARA, but their consideration of funding is a victory nonetheless. The MSS is planning one last advocacy push to have Congress fund the CARA bill.
Lastly, the GRAF application is now live.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or if you need further explanation about the position. It is truly a one of a kind opportunity that you will not find anywhere else. Learn more about the GRAF position.
Sincerely,
Christopher Clifford, MSIV
Government Relations Advocacy Fellow
American Medical Association
T: (202)789-7424
christopher.clifford@ama-assn.org
Washington Brief Archives
October 2016