Advocacy in Action – Physician Voices Heard on Capitol Hill
Advocating on behalf of ophthalmology and our patients truly does make a difference. The Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society (OOSS) joined 14 other subspecialty and specialized interest societies as American Academy of Ophthalmology Congressional Advocacy Day (CAD) Partners to help promote attendance at the April 10, 2008 CAD in Washington, D.C.
Groundwork was laid on a massive legislative effort to stop the 10.6 percent reduction in Medicare physician payments that was to go into effect on June 30, 2008 when a record umber of congressional visits were made by Eye M.D.s who took part in CAD thanks to the extra promotion by OOSS and the other 14 CAD Partners. Thanks in part to the sustained efforts of ophthalmologists and other physicians across the country, on July 15, 2008, Congress overrode President Bush’s veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) by a 383 to 41 vote in the House and a 70 to 26 vote in the Senate. The legislation immediately became law, giving physicians a temporary, 18-month reprieve from the devastating 10.6 percent physician payment cut implemented July 1 and the 5.5 percent cut scheduled for Jan. 1, 2009. Instead, physicians will get a 0.5 percent positive payment update through 2008 and a 1.1 percent increase in 2009. Delivering a unified voice on the impending crisis that would have occurred on June 30, 2008 helped to create strong presence for our profession and our patients and greatly improved the effectiveness of our advocacy efforts.
SAVE THE DATE!
2009 Congressional Advocacy Day
April 22-23 (in conjunction with 2009 Mid-Year Forum)
Capital Hilton Hotel
Washington, D.C.
Online registration will be announced in January 2009
| 
AAO CAD Partnership Program
OOSPAC
