Advocacy News

The ophthalmologist and member of the U.S. House of Representatives kicked off the 2024 OPHTHPAC Speaker Series addressing several developing issues affecting healthcare and spoke to the impact Academy advocacy has on advancing ophthalmology's priorities at the federal level.    

As the nation gets swept up in the excitement of the March Madness college basketball tournament, we’re introducing a spirited competition of our own to rally states to support OPHTHPAC’s critical role of representing ophthalmology on Capitol Hill.

In separate letters to Senate leaders, a bipartisan group of senators and representatives are calling on a Medicare payment fix in any upcoming government funding legislation.

Your support helps OPHTHPAC work for physician-friendly candidates to replace them.

Military veterans’ eye care, physician payment reform, reducing practice burdens, ensuring patients’ timely access to needed treatments, and increasing member engagement will drive the Academy’s 2024 advocacy efforts on behalf of ophthalmology patients and practices.

A new round of floor speeches highlighted the bipartisan agreement among members of the House of Representatives that there is urgent need for Medicare payment relief.

Our Congressional champions urged their colleagues to provide short-term relief and long-term stability for the system. Join their call by using our advocacy tool to contact your members of Congress.

Committee action in the House and Senate this week focused on Medicare, with hearings on Academy priorities to improve patient access to care, including policies to reform prior authorization and update the Medicare physician payment system.

This unusual move by MedPAC, which advises Congress, signals growing awareness of the need for Medicare payment reform.  

We shared several ideas on how to reform physician payment to address both the growing number of annual cuts you face and long-term stability for the Medicare system.