AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY-HEAD AND NECK SURGERY for AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY-HEAD AND NECK SURGERY

Veterans VET

Issues pertaining to scope of practice, in general. Issues pertaining to professional standards for hearing instrument specialists.

Contacted: Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Food & Drug Administration (FDA); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD

Coalition letter to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) regarding tobacco provision in the U.S-Japan Free Trade Agreement with Japan, requesting that any agreement provide the protections necessary to enable both countries to adopt public health measures to protect their citizens from the death and disease caused by tobacco products without facing the risk of litigation by tobacco companies.

Contacted: SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

H.R. 1, the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018," all provisions. Letter to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Minority Leader encouraging repeal of the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) on qualified transportation fringe benefits for tax-exempt organizations.

Contacted: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 1 (115th)

Health Issues HCR

Federal "Truth in Advertising" legislation; in general. H.R. 3928, the "Truth in Healthcare Marketing Act," all provisions. Issues pertaining to scope of practice; in general. Health care reform efforts; in general. Repeal of the Affordable Care Act, in general. Letter to the Food and Drug Administration regarding the forthcoming regulations relating to the over-the-counter sale of hearing aids. Letter to the Food and Drug Administration regarding National Shortages of Lidocaine with Epinephrine, Lidocaine, and Other Local Anesthetics. Coalition Letter to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General regarding information blocking by Electronic Health Record Vendors. Letter to Congress regarding H.R. 5247/S. 204, the Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2018, all provisions. H.Res.740, Expressing Support for the Designation of March 3, 2018, as World Hearing Day. H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act; Section 303. S. 2852, the Pandemic All Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018; provisions related to malpractice/tort reform and H.R. 1876. Issues pertaining to Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K) and parent choice; in general. H.R. 1120, the "Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act," all provisions. Coalition letter to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at HHS regarding HHS-ONC-2018-022 - Request for Information Regarding the 21st Century Cures Act Electronic Health Reporting Program.

Contacted: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Bills named: H.R. 5247 (115th), S. 204 (115th), H.R. 1120 (115th), H.R. 3928 (115th), H.R. 1876 (115th), H.R. 6 (115th), S. 2852 (115th), H.Res. 740 (115th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

H.R. 2276/S. 2575, the "Audiology Patient Choice Act," all provisions. Medicare physician payment reform and implementation of the Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, in general. Medicare physician payment reform and implementation of the Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 related to the cost domain of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System. H.R. 1156, the "Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017," all provisions. H.R. 849/S. 260, the "Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2017," all provisions. Comments outlining concern with the November 2017 Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) discussion titled, "Rebalancing the physician fee schedule towards primary care services." Issues pertaining to scope of practice, in general. Comments urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce the 2018 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting period from a calendar year to a minimum of 90 consecutive days. Comments on the Medicare Hospital IPPS FY 2019 Proposed Rule communicating concerns about the agencys plans to remove the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange objective by 2022. Comments urging leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance not to co-sponsor and oppose any efforts to advance the "Audiology Patient Choice Act" (S. 2575). Comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding Medicare's designation of CPT Code 31241 Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ligation of sphenopalatine artery. Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. House Committees on Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce regarding the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) Program for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging. Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) Program for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging. Coalition letter to U.S. House Committees on Ways & Means and Energy and Commerce and U.S. Senate Committee on Finance regarding payment cuts for clinical lab tests in the Medicare program. Coalition letter to the CMS Administrator urging HHS to allow eligible clinicians utilizing a certified electronic health record to participate in a clinician-led qualified clinical data registry to qualify them as fully achieving all points from the MIPS program. Coalition letter to the CMS Administrator regarding the Evaluation and Management coding and payment recommendations included in the CY19 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. Coalition letter to U.S. House of Representatives requesting support of a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar regarding data information blocking guidelines as related to Qualified Clinical Data Registries. Comments on the CY19 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System proposed rule communicating support for proposed changes to reduce site of service disparities, as well as removal of CPT 31241 (Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ligation of sphenopalatine artery) from the Inpatient Only List. Comments on the CY19 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule regarding the proposed changes to documentation requirements, coding and payment for Evaluation and Management (E/M) services, application of the MPPR to E/M services, and the pricing and composition of balloon sinus surgery kits. Coalition Letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and U.S. House Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce regarding cuts to clinical laboratory services implemented by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014. Coalition letter to U.S. Senate Finance Committee and U.S. House Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce expressing concerns with CMS proposal to require Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) measure owners to enter into licensing agreements with CMS that would permit any other approved QCDR to submit data on the licensed measure for purposes of MIPS reporting. Comments on the CY19 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule regarding changes to reduce site of service disparities, as well as removal of CPT 31241 (Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ligation of sphenopalatine artery) from the Inpatient Only List. Comments on the CY 2019 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule regarding the changes to documentation requirements, coding and payment for Evaluation and Management (E/M) services, application of the MPPR to E/M services, and the pricing and composition of balloon sinus surgery kits. Coalition letter to CMS expressing several concerns with Qualified Clinical Data Registries and MIPS. Coalition letter to CMS in response to an RFI regarding reporting requirements under the Open Payments Program for educational materials.

Contacted: SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

Bills named: S. 2575 (115th), H.R. 1156 (115th), H.R. 2276 (115th), S. 260 (115th), H.R. 849 (115th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

H.R. 1892, the "Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018," provisions related to healthcare. Opposition to H.R. 564 and any appropriations policy riders that would exempt some cigars, including flavored cigars, from regulation under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA). Coalition letter to members of U.S. House Committee on Appropriations regarding funding for universal newborn hearing screening programs, as authorized by H.R.1539/S.652 the "Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act of 2017." Coalition letter to U.S. Senate Appropriators to approve the authorized level of user fees for the FDA oversight of tobacco products and oppose efforts to limit FDA's authority as part of the FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. Coalition letter to U.S. House Appropriators to approve the authorized level of user fees for the FDA oversight of tobacco products and oppose efforts to limit FDA's authority as part of the FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. Coalition letter to U.S. House and Senate Conferees regarding H.R. 6147, urging the conferees to reject all tobacco riders that would weaken FDA oversight of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigars. FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations (H.R. 6147); provisions related to Tobacco Policy Riders. Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee requesting funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) at a level equal to or higher than the House and Senate marks. Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee requesting funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) at a level equal to or higher than the House and Senate marks.

Contacted: Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 564 (115th), H.R. 6147 (115th), S. 652 (115th), H.R. 1892 (115th), H.R. 1539 (115th)

Tobacco TOB

Opposition to H.R. 564 and any appropriations riders that would exempt some cigars, including flavored cigars, from regulation under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA). Support for any legislation and/or regulation requiring all non-grandfathered private health insurance plans to cover preventative services given an "A" or "B" rating by the U.S. Preventative Services Taskforce (USPSTF), especially provisions relating to comprehensive benefits for tobacco cessation services. Opposition to H.R. 1136, the "FDA Deeming Authority Clarification Act of 2017," all provisions. Comments supporting the Food and Drug Administration's initiative to move toward a product standard to reduce the nicotine level in cigarettes to non-addictive or minimally addictive levels. Coalition letter to U.S. Senate Appropriators to approve the authorized level of user fees for the FDA oversight of tobacco products and oppose efforts to limit FDA's authority as part of the FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, urging allocation of funds for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health. Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies urging allocation of funds for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health. Coalition letter to U.S. House and Senate Conferees regarding H.R. 6147, urging the conferees to reject all tobacco riders that would weaken FDA oversight of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigars. FY 2019 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations (H.R. 6147); provisions related to Tobacco Policy Riders. Coalition letter to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) regarding tobacco provision in the U.S-Japan Free Trade Agreement with Japan, requesting that any agreement provide the protections necessary to enable both countries to adopt public health measures to protect their citizens from the death and disease caused by tobacco products without facing the risk of litigation by tobacco companies.

Contacted: SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Bills named: H.R. 6147 (115th), H.R. 564 (115th), H.R. 1136 (115th)

Pharmacy PHA

Issues related to in-office physician drug compounding, in general.

Contacted: Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Torts TOR

H.R. 1215, the "Protecting Access to Care Act," all provisions. H.R. 1704, the "Accessible Care by Curbing Excessive lawSuitS (ACCESS) Act," all provisions. H.R. 1876, the "Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2017," all provisions. Comments urging floor action in regards to the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2018 (H.R. 1876). Coalition letter to the Speaker of the House in support of the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2018 (H.R. 1876). Coalition letter to leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce requesting inclusion of H.R. 1876 in the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Re-authorization Act of 2018 (S. 2852). S. 2852, the Pandemic All Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2018; provisions related to malpractice/tort reform and H.R. 1876.

Contacted: SENATE; Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); Food & Drug Administration (FDA); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Bills named: H.R. 1876 (115th), S. 2852 (115th), H.R. 1704 (115th), H.R. 1215 (115th)