Endocrine Insider
January 21, 2010
(See Full Issue)
During its January meeting, Council approved the advocacy agenda for 2010, defining the Society’s legislative and regulatory priorities for the year. This year the Society will build on the successes of 2009 and continue to focus on six main topics: biomedical research funding, diabetes, endocrinologist access and reimbursement, endocrinologist workforce issues, obesity, and minority health disparities. The Society will also continue to be active and responsive to additional issues such as bioidentical hormones, conflict of interest in research, copyright protection, DXA payment cuts, endocrine disrupters, drug safety/shortage/reimportation, hormone abuse, stem cell research, vitamin D, women’s health and other issues that emerge throughout the year.
Advocacy for Biomedical Research Funding, Diabetes, and Obesity
The country is facing significant economic pressures that will limit Congress’ ability to commit funds to new and existing programs, including biomedical research funding and programs to combat diabetes and obesity. The Society will continue to work with the scientific community, including United for Medical Research (UMR), Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), and Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, to ensure that the National Institutes of Health receives sufficient funding in FY 2011 to prevent a significant loss of research projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Society will also continue to serve as a resource to policymakers addressing the growing diabetes and obesity epidemic and will work with other organizations, such as the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, to advocate for funding for vital programs that address diabetes and obesity.
Health Reform Provisions for Reimbursement, Workforce, and Disparities
Congress spent much of 2009 debating the best way to address needed changes to the health care delivery system, and the final bills passed by the House and Senate include a number of provisions that would impact payments to physicians, including endocrinologists. However, neither bill includes a permanent fix to the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, which requires Congress to avert drastic cuts to physician payments at the end of each year. Identifying a permanent solution to the SGR will be a priority for the Society in 2010.
The health reform bills do include a number of provisions that address the physician workforce shortage and minority health disparities. Both of these issues have a significant impact on endocrinologists and the patients they treat, and the Society will continue to push for the inclusion of these provisions in the final bill.
Support from Coalitions and Grassroots Network
To strengthen its voice and increase support for its goals, the Society will continue to participate in coalitions that build consent among the broader scientific community. The Society’s coalition partners include UMR, FASEB, American College of Physicians, National Diabetes Education Program, and American Medical Association through the House of Delegates and Resource-based Relative Value Scale Update Committee. . .
The Society’s members will also be called upon to communicate the Society’s advocacy messages to Congress and the Administration. Society members sent more than 1,000 letters and phone calls to members of Congress in 2009 on biomedical research funding, health reform, and DXA payment cuts. Communications from constituents play a significant role in helping members of Congress determine their position on a particular issue, and grassroots efforts are invaluable in advancing the Society’s advocacy goals.
