AAHKS leaders met with members of Congress to urge them to pass prior authorization and physician safety legislation, as well as physician payment updates. Representatives Ami Bera, MD (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) introduced Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022 (H.R. 8800) which would boost the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor by 4.42%. Following our visits, the prior authorization bill, Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2021 (H.R. 3173) passed the House and will be sent to the Senate. During the bill’s markup hearing, Representative Michael C. Burgess, MD (R-TX) stated that HHS must maintain access to appropriate site of care for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries under the bill, specifically calling attention to the shift to the outpatient setting for hip and knee replacement surgery. Watch Rep. Burgess comments here.

While in Washington, AAHKS leaders participated in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference (NOLC). AAHKS was represented by Past President Michael P. Bolognesi, MD; Advocacy Chair Adam J. Rana, MD; PAC Advisor’s Circle Representative Nicholas B. Frisch, MD, MBA and Health Policy Fellows Jenna A. Bernstein, MD; Charles P. Hannon, MD, MBA and Beau J. Kildow, MD. In all, over a dozen AAHKS members participated in various capacities. Dr. Bolognesi was elected as the next Board of Specialty Societies (BOS) Secretary, joining AAHKS member Adolph J. Yates Jr., MD in the BOS leadership

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