Your Team in Washington Ready to Roll
February 28, 2008
AARC Podcast Series
PACT Members in Washington Are Ready to Roll.
Running Time: 10
minutes
Members of the AARC’s Political Advocacy Contact Team (PACT) are ready to roll for their eighth annual trip to Washington DC, March 9 –11. While they’re there they will be talking with members of the U.S. Congress, working on issues that will help you help your patients.
“We’ve seen a lot of change in the last eight years,” said Frank Salvatore, chair of the AARC’s government affairs committee. “We’ve made relationships and connections in Washington and our members of Congress are ready to hear us out.”
In general each state sends two PACT members to the Washington lobby day. Serving a multi-year commitment on behalf of their state, these PACT members are knowledgeable about the issues and have made appointments to visit the influential lawmakers in their states. On Day One of the PACT meeting, the group meets together, reviewing the issues, getting tips on lobbying, and prepping for the next day. On Day Two, the teams each go up to Capitol Hill and meet with their members of Congress.
This year several states have indicated they will be bringing patients with them as they meet with their Senators or representatives. “Seeing the individuals who are directly impacted by the laws Congress makes is a powerful message,” said Cheryl West, AARC’s Director of Government Affairs. “We think this kind of partnership between the profession and the patient will bring us success."
There are two primary issues PACT members will be lobbying for in Washington.
Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative (HR 3968 and S 2704)
This key issue for the profession will revise the Medicare law to permit qualified respiratory therapists to provide certain respiratory therapy services, such as smoking cessation, asthma management, MDI device and medication education, while under the general supervision of a physician in settings other than the acute care hospital.
The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act (HR 552 and S 329)
This legislation will mandate that the Medicare program explicitly cover pulmonary rehabilitation. Individual services that comprise the program are only covered indirectly as “incident to a physician’s service,” which has led to confusion and variations in interpretation. There is no national coverage for pulmonary rehabilitation and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says it lacks authority to develop such policy even though there is strong medical evidence to support it. This legislation, when enacted, will end the patchwork policies that now exist and end the confusion.
As part of the overall message the PACT will deliver will be a focus on reimbursement issues, in particular home oxygen coverage. We will encourage Congress to keep the needs of the patient foremost in crafting any reimbursement structure so that it will ensure patients have access to appropriate home oxygen services in all areas of the country.