Paul Spector, D.O., Legislative Committee Chaiman

         7329 Boulders View Lane
         Richmond, VA 23225
         (804) 320-8570
         specrab@comcast.com

Details regarding state legislation can be found at:
http://legis.state.va.us/

 

From the AOA’s News desk: Congress Faces Unique Legisative Challenges as Fall Begins

Congress returned from their annual summer recess on September 4 with several “must pass” issues unresolved. Among those issues is the pending 9.9 percent cut in Medicare physician payments scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2008. At the end of July, the House approved the “Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act” (CHAMP) (H.R. 3162), which includes provisions that would provide all physicians with a 0.5 percent payment update in 2008 and 2009. Additionally, the bill includes provisions that would eliminate the use of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) methodology in 2010, replacing it with a modified volume control methodology developed and endorsed by the A.O.A. The Senate, to date, has not developed or approved legislation aimed at addressing the physician payment issue.

We continue to encourage the Senate to adopt the House Medicare physician payment provisions and move quickly to approve legislation that ensures all physicians receive positive payment updates in 2008 and 2009. It appears unlikely that the Medicare provisions will remain part of legislation reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). As a result, the A.O.A. will be working with house and Senate leaders to secure a legislative strategy that will allow for the approval of corrective provisions prior to December 31.

In June, Reps. Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) introduced the “Physician Workforce and Graduate Medical Education Enhancement Act” (H.R. 2583). This bill directs the secretary to establish, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an interest­-free loan program whereby hospitals committed to starting new osteopathic or allopathic residency training programs could secure start-up funding to offset the initial costs of such programs. To be eligible, a hospital must demonstrate that it currently does not operate a residency training program, has not operated a residency training program in the past, and that it has secured preliminary accreditation by the American Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and/or the A.O.A. Additionally, the petitioning hospital must commit to operating an allopathic or osteopathic residency program in one of six medical specialties or a combination of these specialties: family medicine, internal medicine, geriatric medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, or general surgery.

That month also saw the reintroduction of the “Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act of 2007” (H.R. 2260) by Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and John Sullivan (R-OK). This bill mirrors similar legislation from the 109^th congress. H.R. 2260 would make it unlawful for any health care provider who is not a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine to make any statements, or engage in any acts, that deceive or mislead the public or a prospective or current patient that such person is a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine or has the same or equivalent education, skills, or training. The bill also requires that a health care provider who is not a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathic medicine identify, in any advertisement in any medium for health care services, the license under which such person is authorized to provide such services.

If you are interested in reading more about these and other key legislative and regulatory topics on a regular basis, then you should become a member of the A.O.A.’s award winning Grassroots Osteopathic Advocacy Link (GOAL) program. GOAL is your key to getting informed and involved in legislation that impacts your ability to practice medicine and treat patients. Through the DO Advocacy Action Center you can find resources to allow you to send letters to your members of congress on a variety of high-priority health care issues, help educate the public by sending letters to the editor of your local and national newspapers, learn how your members of congress voted on a bill or if they are early supporters of legislation. Take advantage of the resources that goal has available… become a member of the premier grassroots network for the osteopathic profession!

Remember, the first step in getting to know your elected officials and educate them about osteopathic medicine and the delivery of health care is to learn who they are and where they stand. Find out now! Be a member of goal and get informed...get involved...get active...contact congress.

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