2016 Archives

12/16/16
Congress approves health care funding through passage of the 21st Century Cures Act as well as continuing resolution; AMA signs on to ACP-supported "call to action" on firearm violence
12/02/16
Voters decide on health care state ballot measures; Surgeon General releases report on addiction, echoing ACP calls for expanded treatment
11/18/16
ACP considers post-election political climate in framing advocacy efforts; Positive changes made in Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule; ACA marketplaces sees enrollment surge following election of President-Elect Trump
11/04/16
ACP applauds changes in released final MACRA rule; Physicians may "pick your pace" in MACRA participation; CMS expands risk reduction and APMs
10/21/16
Independent analysts outline Clinton and Trump's health care plans; ACP members pressure Congress to pass long-term funding for key health care initiatives
10/07/16
ACA meets new uncertainties as it enters its fourth marketplace enrollment year; Online federal resources are highlighted as part of National Health IT Week
09/23/16
CMS releases mostly positive Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposal; CMS rule allows for physician flexibility in MACRA implementation; ACP doctor advocates for pharmaceutical reform with Congressman.
09/09/16
ACP urges congressional action on Zika virus, opioid addiction, health research and primary care amid budget debate; Life and death of Aetna Innovation Labs director highlights need for patient-centered care
08/19/16
An important CPC+ update includes a Sept. 15 participation deadline; ACP-priority legislation recently was passed by Congress and signed by the president. Marking a huge "win" for ACP, it cracks down on opioid abuse.
07/15/16
ACP urges CMS to make some adjustments to its plans for MACRA; Dr. Nitin Damle testifies on drug pricing at Capitol Hill hearing; ACP escalates its efforts to recognize gun violence as a serious threat to public health.
06/24/16
ACP takes stock of the issues that still need to receive attention from Congress this year; CMS agrees to suggestions from physicians on benchmarks for practices in the ACO model; How Dr. Tammy Lin was able to use her experience at Leadership Day to engage in further advocacy.
06/10/16
ACP tells Congress to take the necessary measures to contain the threat of Zika virus; The new Legislative Action Center enhances advocacy abilities for members to better reach Congressional leaders; Coverage of this year's Richard Neubauer Advocate for Internal Medicine Award, Dr. Alejandro Moreno.
05/27/16
ACP offers advice and resources on how physicians can prepare for MACRA; Another successful Leadership Day event allowed members to engage with staffers on Capitol Hill; The FDA has put on new regulations on tobacco, earning praise from ACP.
05/13/16
CMS releases details on the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus program; Dr. Robert McLean testifies in front of the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health regarding MACRA; ACP and AAIM jointly release a paper focused on changes to the financing of graduate medical education.
04/22/16
ACP releases position paper on Climate Change; Giving input to Congress on appropriations for several important health care programs; Survey findings show what has changed in the medical profession and how physicians are responding.
04/11/16
ACP releases position paper on prescription drug costs; CDC's offers new guideline on prescribing opioid painkillers; ACP joins 22 other organizations in calling on CMS to do more to provide appropriate benchmarks for ACOs.
03/25/16
ACP releases position paper on options for Medicaid expansion; Some potential legislative movement on telemedicine may come this year; Kaiser Family Foundation releases a report evaluating various Medicare payment models.
03/11/16
ACP sends comments to CMS on quality measure development; ACP acts as part of a coalition on the process of aligning performance measures with practice; Leadership Day, ACP's annual event allowing members to engage in legislative advocacy, is quickly approaching
02/26/16
ACP works with congress on interoperability for a new law on health IT to be considered in April; Recommendations are submitted on updates to the Stark self-referral law; A new report on patient-centered medical homes finds reductions in cost and unnecessary utilization.
02/12/16
ACP's web page on the major health care issues to consider during the 2016 presidential election; ACP sends a letter to the Senate Finance Committee on ways to improve chronic care; Feedback provided to CMS on changes that need to be made to eMeasures.
01/29/16
ACP submits comments to the CDC on their draft guidelines for prescription of opioids for chronic pain; How the President's executive actions on firearms stack up with ACP policy; Several health care issues make it into the president's State of the Union address.
01/15/16
What physicians need to know about regulations and deadlines in 2016; A review of some of ACP's biggest legislative wins from 2015; Federal spending levels bring some change for health care, especially in research.