AAN Leaders take the Hill

Last Friday, nearly 40 AAN leaders traveled to Capitol Hill to advocate for the field of neurology and its patients. The 2023 Legislative Summit, held in conjunction with the AAN’s Brain Health Summit this year, was an opportunity for a select group of AAN advocates to discuss timely issues with members of Congress. Advocates attended nearly ninety meetings with their senators and representatives. This year’s priorities were focused on strengthening the neurology workforce and Medicare reimbursement.

The first ask was to support the neurology workforce by co-sponsoring the Conrad 30 State and Physician Reauthorization Bill (S.665/H.R.4942). This bill reauthorizes the Conrad 30 program which gives each state 30 waivers, to allow international medical graduates (IMGs) to remain in the country after their residency ends if they practice in a rural or underserved area. With IMGs making up nearly 30 percent of the neurology workforce, this program has benefited several members and will allow current neurology residents to stay in the communities that helped train them.

The second ask was regarding physician reimbursement in Medicare. Over the last twenty years, physicians have not received an inflationary update in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). Reimbursements have not kept up with soaring practice costs, resulting in an overall 20 percent cut to physician reimbursement from 2001 to 2021, according to the American Medical Association. To help alleviate this issue, advocates requested that members of Congress co-sponsor the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R.2474), which would provide an automatic inflationary update to Medicare physician reimbursement tied to the Medical Economic Index (MEI).

In addition, advocates urged members of Congress to support the implementation of a new complexity add-on code included in the 2024 proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The G2211 code would be billed in conjunction with outpatient evaluation and management visits and would help account for the time and resources required to manage the care of patients with complex conditions. This new code would have an enormous positive impact on patients with multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, neuromuscular disorders, dementia, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. Advocates were able to educate their members of Congress about the importance of this new code to their constituents and urge them to not take any action that would halt or delay its implementation.

To see our advocates in action, check out #AANadvocacy on Twitter. For questions about the Legislative Summit or our efforts, please reach out to advocacy@aan.com.

 

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