Chapter Advocacy Week
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Countdown to Advocacy Week:
Legislators want to hear from their constituents. When it comes to healthcare, physicians are the experts! NYACP offers the opportunity to get involved in advocacy with other like-minded physicians. During Advocacy Week 2022, the Chapter will unfold a daily advocacy activity that provides a simple way to get involved and helps increase awareness of various NYACP priorities being discussed this year in the New York State Legislature.
Each morning of Advocacy Week, the link for the day will go live (green) with new information.
Day 1- Monday: Learn about Advocacy at NYACP
Hear about first hand experiences from members sharing tips for starting out and information about 2022 topics of interest.
Day 2 - Tuesday: Respond to NYACP's Call to Action
Send a letter to elected officials to urge action on pending legislation.
NYACP supports pending legislation in NY to waive pre-authorization requirements for patient care recommended by physicians in instances where common referrals are approved more than 90% of the time.
Physicians are expert voices. Legislators need to hear the expert stories to make informed decisions.Your help is needed to urge legislative action this session.
In just 60 seconds, you can send a letter to all of your elected officials in support of this legislation.
Send a message now.
Day 3 - Wednesday: Learn About NYACP Advocacy Wins
Hear Paula Lester, MD, FACP describe how NYACP's Geriatric Task Force secured a seat on the NY State Re-imagining Long Term Care Task Force.
Day 4 - Thursday: NYACP Advocacy Day
Learn more about NYACP's priority issues and get tips for meeting with your NYS elected officials.
Three issues are pending that enhance the clinical experiences for patients and physicians:
SUPPORT
- Prior Authorization “Gold Card”: For physicians who are successful in securing authorization for particular procedures recommended for patients from carriers, this bill will help you by eliminating the need to request future authorizations for the same type of procedures. The bill applies a 6-month look-back period and, when a physician’s authorization request for a particular procedure is approved 90% of the time, no additional authorizations will be required.
- Adult Vaccinations added to NYS Immunization and Information System: Patients can access vaccinations in multiple venues and knowing what your patients have and have not received can be difficult to ascertain. By requiring all adult immunizations to be added to NYSIIS, physicians will be able to access vaccination information for patients more readily, thereby improving the accuracy of information shared during clinical encounters, and enhancing the health care we provide to our patients.
- Patient CoPayment Accumulator Bill: When patients use coupons, vouchers, or other financial support documents to access
items such as prescription drugs, oftentimes the value of the coupon/voucher is not applied toward their copayment or deductible annual obligations by their health insurance carrier. This bill would therefore amend the NY’s Insurance Law to require health insurance companies to apply third-party payments, financial assistance, discounts, vouchers, or other financial support to a patient’s cost sharing requirements. This change will have immediate benefits for patients by improving a patient’s ability to afford prescriptions that are critical to manage disease.
One issue that was pending will diminish the clinical experience for patients and physicians:
OPPOSE
- Authorization for Physician Assistants to be classified as “Primary Care Practitioners” under Medicaid Managed Care: PA’s in NY are not defined as primary care practitioners under health care programs. Yet, for one of the most vulnerable patient populations, specifically enrollees in Medicaid Managed Care programs, this bill constructively establishes a lesser standard of care by authorizing PA’s to be principle primary care providers under this plan. Passage of this bill raises the severity of health disparities in NY by undermining access to physicians for Medicaid Managed Care patients, and decreases health equity as historically marginalized patient populations will encounter increased barriers to high quality care.
This NYACP priority issue has passed both the NYS Senate and Assembly despite strong opposition by the Chapter. A Call-to-Action Alert will be sent to all members when it is time for physicians to contact Governor Hochul with an important message as to why this bill (A.6056/S.5956) must be vetoed.
Day 5 - Friday: Advocacy Week Recap
Follow the Chapter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to hear about advocacy day experiences.
Did you get a chance to listen to our 3 new advocacy-related podcasts? If not, then make plans to hear directly from our advocacy interns and physician leaders about recent experiences and successes. Listen here.
Did you join NYACP in its Call to Action to support a bill to create a PreAuthorization Gold Card for physicians? If not, there’s still time. So far, 148 letters have been sent to NYS Senators and Assembly Members requesting support for legislation. The bill would expedite health care for patients in instances where a physician’s preauthorization requests are routinely approved by health insurance carriers by exempting the physician from securing preauthorization for common referrals. Expediting patient care and reducing a bit of administrative burden – a win-win! If you haven’t sent your letter yet, please do today through the Chapter’s Grassroots Advocacy Center. There is a prepared letter with the option to personalize. Send your letter now.
NYACP Leaders and Health and Public Policy Committee members met with elected officials to discuss and request support for the following bills:
- Prior Authorization “Gold Card: (A.9908/S.8299)
- Co-Pay Accumulator (A1741/S.5299)
- NYSIIS Registry (A.279/S75)
The 8 meetings included:
- Senator Steward-Cousins’ Majority Counsel & Health Team
- Assembly Member Carrie Woerner - Chair, NYS Agricultural Production & Technology Sub-Committee
- The office of Assembly Member Richard Gottfried - Chair, NYS Assembly Health Committee
- The office of Senator Neil Breslin - Chair, NYS Senate Insurance Committee
- The office of Assembly Member Kevin Cahill - Chair, NYS Assembly Insurance Committee
- The Office of Gustavo Rivera – NYS Chair, Senate Health Committee
- The office of Senator Liz Krueger – Chair, NYS Senate Finance Committee
- The office of Senator Rachel May – Chair, NYS Aging Committee and Chair, Legislative Commission on Rural Resources
If this week inspired you to get more involved with NYACP, please let us know by completing this short form.
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