Legislative Issues
At the beginning of each year, AGA leaders convene in a Public Policy Summit to identify key issues of concern to gastroenterologists in the legislative and regulatory arenas and to develop an advocacy blueprint to guide its advocacy activities. The comprehensive agenda that emerges from the summit includes issues of concern to clinicians and scientific investigators as well as professional issues that affect all gastroenterologists.
Below is a summary of key AGA Public Policy Issues.
Reimbursement Information and Advocacy
The AGA endorses a Medicare Physician Payment Formula that ensures equitable and stable reimbursement.
Federal Funding of Research
AGA supports a 4.5 percent funding increase in FY2013.
Patient Cost Sharing for Screening Colonoscopy
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act waives the coinsurance and deductible for colorectal cancer screening tests. The administration has clarified its policy related to cost sharing for colonoscopy for privately insured patients. However, due to the unique nature of colonoscopy, many patients with Medicare will still wind up paying out of pocket. AGA urges Congress to correct this “cost sharing” problem.
Drug Shortages
As gastroenterologists struggle with a shortage of sedative drugs used during endoscopic procedures, the AGA is working with regulatory agencies and lawmakers to address the issue.
Health-Care Reform Debate
AGA continues to monitor the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its impact on gastroenterology. We continue to work to influence the regulatory process as key provisions are being implemented and advocate with our champions in Congress to change provisions of this law.
Protecting Medicare Beneficiary Access To High Quality Specialist Services
AGA, as a member of the Alliance of Specialty Medicine, supports physician payment reform, maintaining access to specialty care, developing evidence-based and clinically relevant quality measures, the development of an electronic health information network, and responsible comparative effectiveness research.
Advocating for ASC Payments
AGA, along with ASGE and ACG, supports stabilizing payment rates for ASCs by changing the inflationary adjustment for ASCs to a hospital market basket update instead of the current consumer price index-urban, which is not an accurate measurement of health -care costs. AGA supports H.R. 2108, the Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2011, which would make this payment update change.
CRC Screening and Treatment for the Uninsured
The AGA supports the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection, Prevention and Treatment Act (H.R. 912/S. 494), and believes it will not only prevent more cases of colorectal cancer, but also lead to cost-savings for Medicare and our health-care system.
Medical Liability Reform
AGA endorses medical liability reform to avert a health-care crisis.
