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ACG | Policy and Practice News |
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This Week in Washington D.C.
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Fighting for ACG Members on the Hill |
From ACG Legislative and Public Policy Council Chair, Louis J. Wilson, MD, FACG
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I had two very busy and productive days in Washington, D.C. this week, meeting with various members of Congress and House Doctors Caucus. I thanked members for working
on a temporary patch to address looming Medicare cuts. However, we need meaningful and long-term reform. We all know that reform is constrained by budgetary cost-estimates and the lack of political gumption in a divided Congress. We also know that Congress believes there are no access to care issues across the U.S. My response this week: "Bullsh*t. Enough is enough!"
Family, friends, and even our physician-colleagues are unable to find a doctor. Our practices all have patient backlogs. And do you know why Congress may not be seeing access issues in gastroenterology? Because we are refusing to abandon our patients. What is happening, however, is that physicians are instead abandoning their practices. The current trends in Medicare reimbursement and practice management are leaving many of us in private practice no choice but to merge with corporate entities or become an employed physician. However, no practice or business model is
insolated from these cuts. We need to work together for clinical GI and our patients in getting Congress to act now. While finding a solution will be hard, it doesn’t have to be divisive.
Good news - our message is resonating with Congress. Even after my visit to D.C., there are "Dear Colleague" sign-on letters circulating on Capitol Hill urging congressional leadership to delay these cuts. However, temporary delays and failure to provide updates for inflation is like providing a small dose of loperamide for severe and persistent diarrhea.
I pledge to you that we will continue this fight for Medicare reimbursement reform.
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Interested in learning more about ACG’s advocacy efforts and policy priorities? Want to learn more about the ACG National Affairs Action Network (NAAN)? New to advocacy and
want to learn more? I welcome the opportunity to meet you and learn more about your practice and your interest in advocacy. Contact ACG to join the NAAN.
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