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AGA workshops/webcasts to give free advice on advancing your GI career
The free half-day workshops and webcasts in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 16, 2019, and in Boston on March 30, 2019, emphasize mastering basic business skills that can help advance your GI career.
Fellows and early-career GIs will have an opportunity to connect with seasoned GIs to gain real-world insights on successfully managing their careers at one of two upcoming American Gastroenterological Association’s Regional Practice Skills Workshops. Seasoned faculty will share their experiences and recommendations on:
- Measuring quality and delivering value-based care.
- Health care reform and the future of GI.
- Planning and managing finances, and much more.
Register and plan to join one of the upcoming workshops or webcasts:
If you’re in the Columbus or Boston area, attending the workshop in person is a great opportunity to ask questions of presenters and to network with faculty and peers. If you are not able to attend in person, you may still benefit from the valuable information by registering for the live webcast.
Open to AGA members and nonmembers, the workshops have been a hit with recent attendees who have called them an “eye opener,” “amazing and very informative,” and “phenomenal.” Take advantage of this free learning opportunity and register for one or both events/webcasts today.
Registration for all workshops and webcasts is required.
Rising microbiome investigator: Lea Ann Chen, MD
Dr. Chen, of New York University, talks about her research on gastrointestinal illnesses and what motivated her to focus on the gut microbiome.
We spoke with Dr. Chen, the recipient of the AGA Research Foundation’s 2016 Research Scholar Award, to learn about her work on the gut microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
I study longitudinal changes of the gut microbiome as it relates to gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly IBD.
What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?
I hope that my research will provide greater insights into the role of gut microbes in disease pathogenesis and activity to ultimately inform the development of new diagnostics and treatments.
What inspired you to focus your research career on the gut microbiome?
I’ve long been fascinated by ecological systems and host-microbe interactions. As technologies to study the gut microbiome became more readily available, I was eager, and somewhat relieved, to be able to combine my research interests with my clinical interest in gastroenterology.
What recent publication from your lab best represents your work, if anyone wants to learn more?
In this study, we show that gut bacterial disturbances are resolved after fecal transplantation in children without IBD but are only transiently resolved in those with IBD.
Hourigan S et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015;42:741-52.
You’re involved with several AGA initiatives, including the Future Leaders Program and the FMT National Registry. How has being an AGA member impacted your career?
AGA has provided key mentorship and training opportunities that have been instrumental in my career development. It has further helped me discover a diverse community of clinicians and scientists who are amazing role models, resources and colleagues. I really had no inkling what was in store when I first joined AGA as a trainee, but I feel very lucky that I did and am grateful for how AGA membership has really enriched my life as a gastroenterologist.
My experiences during AGA’s Advocacy Day: Facilitating change
BY YAMINI NATARAJAN, MD
The hospital is often the intersection between patients’ medical illness and their social and financial issues.
As physicians, it is important to recognize that patient care encompasses the prescribing of medications, the performing of procedures, as well as systems-based practice, and ensuring that social and financial barriers do not impede access to, and delivery of, care. Some of these barriers cannot be eliminated by any one individual health care professional (HCP); they can only be improved by working with government representatives and policymakers to make systemic changes. For gastroenterologists, advocacy involves educating patients, HCPs, and our government representatives about issues related to GI illnesses and the importance of ensuring access to GI specialty care and treatment for all the patients who require it.
AGA, via the Government Affairs Committee, facilitates advocacy in several ways. These include policy briefs, position statements, and facilitating meetings with our representatives and senators in home districts and in Washington. AGA hosted Advocacy Day in Washington on Sept. 14, 2018. Seventeen AGA members from 11 states visited 26 congressional offices. I am an assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. During Advocacy Day, I visited the office of my congressional representative, Rep. Pete Olsen (R-Tex.), as well as health policy advisors for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.). For the visits to the senators’ offices, I was joined by my colleagues from Baylor, Avinash Ketwaroo, MD, and Richard Robbins, MD, as well as Thomas Kerr, MD, PhD, of University of Texas, Dallas. During these visits, we discussed National Institutes of Health funding and barriers to effective care in digestive diseases such as copays for colonoscopy.
Academic institutions share the aim of conducting high-quality research to further advances in medicine. These research projects are often funded through NIH grant programs. Unfortunately, these programs are also often the target of budget cuts, which can affect primary research and also downstream economic growth. An analysis by United for Medical Research found that, for every dollar spent in NIH grants, $2 of economic output is generated.1 In 2016, these programs created 379,000 jobs and $64 billion in economic activity nationally. AGA calls for increased NIH funding to maintain pace with inflation.2
We also discussed how projects funded by NIH have led to important advances in gastroenterology in Texas. For example, NIH-funded research by Hashem El-Serag, MD, and Fasiha Kanwal, MD, has produced studies to evaluate biomarkers and improve screening techniques in hepatocellular carcinoma.3,4 Dr. Kerr discussed his experiences as a physician-scientist and the importance of basic science research as a foundation for clinical advances.
After the Affordable Care Act was passed, deductibles and coinsurance fees were waived for colorectal cancer screening tests that received an “A” or “B” grade from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. However, once a polyp is found and removed during a screening colonoscopy, the procedure is reclassified as a therapeutic procedure, meaning the patient will have to pay the coinsurance.5
Coinsurance costs can be 20%-25% of the Medicare-approved amount. In essence, patients may go into a procedure with the expectation that it will be 100% covered by insurance only to find out that they will receive a larger bill because polyps were removed. It puts gastroenterologists in a difficult position because they know that polyp removal will increase the cost to the patient; however, waiting for a repeat procedure would be redundant and lead to possible loss of follow-up care. The Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act would correct this by waiving the coinsurance for a screening colonoscopy even if polyps were removed.6 We discussed the importance of this legislation to removing barriers to screening.
Use of biologics has advanced the treatment of many diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, mandates by insurance companies can make it difficult to use these medications without first “stepping” through other less costly medications. We spoke with staffers regarding the Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act, which would remove unneeded barriers to prescribing appropriate therapy. It would also streamline the prior authorization/appeals process by requiring insurance companies to respond in a timely manner. We discussed the effects IBD has on the quality of life of our patients and shared our experiences in obtaining timely therapy.
As physicians, we are uniquely positioned to represent the needs of our patients. We appreciate AGA facilitating that voice by providing updates on legislation and coordinating meetings between senators, others members of Congress, and practicing gastroenterologists and GI fellows. AGA Advocacy Day is an important event to discuss our perspective as physicians and our experiences dealing with the health care system on a daily basis. Congressional staffers were very interested to hear our points of view as HCPs. They even shared their personal stories regarding friends and relatives with colon cancer and other digestive diseases. I strongly encourage other AGA members to take advantage of this important program. Other advocacy programs by AGA are discussed as follows.
Congressional Advocates Program
This is a grassroots program aimed at establishing a stronger foundation for our current and future advocacy initiatives by creating state teams to work on advocacy on the local, state, and national levels. Participation can include a wide variety of activities that range from creating educational posts on social media to meeting with government representatives. Members are mentored by AGA leadership and staff for advocacy training. Participating members receive an AGA Congressional Advocate Program Certificate, a Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) badge ribbon, policy badge on the AGA Community, and recognition on AGA’s website. Applications for the next cycle will be released in 2019.
AGA PAC
The AGA PAC is a voluntary, nonpartisan political organization affiliated with and supported by AGA and is the only political action committee supported by a national gastroenterology society. Its mission is to give gastroenterologists a greater presence on Capitol Hill and a more effective voice in policy discussions. AGA PAC supports candidates who support our policy priorities, such as fair reimbursement, cutting regulatory red tape, supporting patient protections and access to specialty care, and support for federal funding of digestive disease research. If you are interested in learning more, contact AGA’s Government and Political Affairs Manager, Navneet Buttar, at nbuttar@gastro.org or 240-482-3221.
GovPredict
AGA’s online advocacy platform allows members to contact their members of Congress with just a few clicks. AGA develops messages on key pieces of legislation, key efforts in Congress, or on issues being advanced by federal agencies that have great effects on gastroenterology. The platform also allows AGA to track legislation, key votes, a legislator’s priority issues, and other key legislative activity. AGA can also track member activity with a legislator and their staff, a key component in building and maintaining relationships with key legislators.
References
1. Ehrlich E. United for Medical Research. NIH’S role in sustaining the U.S. economy. http://www.unitedformedicalresearch.com/advocacy_reports/nihs-role-in-sustaining-the-u-s-economy-2017-update/nih-role-in-the-economy-fy2016-2/#.XD9RafZFy5t.
2. AGA. AGA position statement on research funding. http://www.gastro.org/take-action/top-issues/research-funding.
3. El-Serag HB et al. Gastroenterology. 2014 May;146(5):1249-55.e1.
4. White DL et al. Gastroenterology. 2015 Dec;149(7):1986-7.
5. AGA. AGA position statement on patient cost sharing for screening colonoscopy. http://www.gastro.org/take-action/top-issues/patient-cost-sharing-for-screening-colonoscopy.
6. Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017. S. 479 U.S.C. (2017-2018).
Dr. Natarajan has received clinical trial support from Gilead and Allergan. Dr. Natarajan is a member of the AGA Government Affairs Committee. This feature originally appeared in AGA Perspectives.
AGA workshops/webcasts to give free advice on advancing your GI career
The free half-day workshops and webcasts in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 16, 2019, and in Boston on March 30, 2019, emphasize mastering basic business skills that can help advance your GI career.
Fellows and early-career GIs will have an opportunity to connect with seasoned GIs to gain real-world insights on successfully managing their careers at one of two upcoming American Gastroenterological Association’s Regional Practice Skills Workshops. Seasoned faculty will share their experiences and recommendations on:
- Measuring quality and delivering value-based care.
- Health care reform and the future of GI.
- Planning and managing finances, and much more.
Register and plan to join one of the upcoming workshops or webcasts:
If you’re in the Columbus or Boston area, attending the workshop in person is a great opportunity to ask questions of presenters and to network with faculty and peers. If you are not able to attend in person, you may still benefit from the valuable information by registering for the live webcast.
Open to AGA members and nonmembers, the workshops have been a hit with recent attendees who have called them an “eye opener,” “amazing and very informative,” and “phenomenal.” Take advantage of this free learning opportunity and register for one or both events/webcasts today.
Registration for all workshops and webcasts is required.
Rising microbiome investigator: Lea Ann Chen, MD
Dr. Chen, of New York University, talks about her research on gastrointestinal illnesses and what motivated her to focus on the gut microbiome.
We spoke with Dr. Chen, the recipient of the AGA Research Foundation’s 2016 Research Scholar Award, to learn about her work on the gut microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
I study longitudinal changes of the gut microbiome as it relates to gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly IBD.
What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?
I hope that my research will provide greater insights into the role of gut microbes in disease pathogenesis and activity to ultimately inform the development of new diagnostics and treatments.
What inspired you to focus your research career on the gut microbiome?
I’ve long been fascinated by ecological systems and host-microbe interactions. As technologies to study the gut microbiome became more readily available, I was eager, and somewhat relieved, to be able to combine my research interests with my clinical interest in gastroenterology.
What recent publication from your lab best represents your work, if anyone wants to learn more?
In this study, we show that gut bacterial disturbances are resolved after fecal transplantation in children without IBD but are only transiently resolved in those with IBD.
Hourigan S et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015;42:741-52.
You’re involved with several AGA initiatives, including the Future Leaders Program and the FMT National Registry. How has being an AGA member impacted your career?
AGA has provided key mentorship and training opportunities that have been instrumental in my career development. It has further helped me discover a diverse community of clinicians and scientists who are amazing role models, resources and colleagues. I really had no inkling what was in store when I first joined AGA as a trainee, but I feel very lucky that I did and am grateful for how AGA membership has really enriched my life as a gastroenterologist.
My experiences during AGA’s Advocacy Day: Facilitating change
BY YAMINI NATARAJAN, MD
The hospital is often the intersection between patients’ medical illness and their social and financial issues.
As physicians, it is important to recognize that patient care encompasses the prescribing of medications, the performing of procedures, as well as systems-based practice, and ensuring that social and financial barriers do not impede access to, and delivery of, care. Some of these barriers cannot be eliminated by any one individual health care professional (HCP); they can only be improved by working with government representatives and policymakers to make systemic changes. For gastroenterologists, advocacy involves educating patients, HCPs, and our government representatives about issues related to GI illnesses and the importance of ensuring access to GI specialty care and treatment for all the patients who require it.
AGA, via the Government Affairs Committee, facilitates advocacy in several ways. These include policy briefs, position statements, and facilitating meetings with our representatives and senators in home districts and in Washington. AGA hosted Advocacy Day in Washington on Sept. 14, 2018. Seventeen AGA members from 11 states visited 26 congressional offices. I am an assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. During Advocacy Day, I visited the office of my congressional representative, Rep. Pete Olsen (R-Tex.), as well as health policy advisors for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.). For the visits to the senators’ offices, I was joined by my colleagues from Baylor, Avinash Ketwaroo, MD, and Richard Robbins, MD, as well as Thomas Kerr, MD, PhD, of University of Texas, Dallas. During these visits, we discussed National Institutes of Health funding and barriers to effective care in digestive diseases such as copays for colonoscopy.
Academic institutions share the aim of conducting high-quality research to further advances in medicine. These research projects are often funded through NIH grant programs. Unfortunately, these programs are also often the target of budget cuts, which can affect primary research and also downstream economic growth. An analysis by United for Medical Research found that, for every dollar spent in NIH grants, $2 of economic output is generated.1 In 2016, these programs created 379,000 jobs and $64 billion in economic activity nationally. AGA calls for increased NIH funding to maintain pace with inflation.2
We also discussed how projects funded by NIH have led to important advances in gastroenterology in Texas. For example, NIH-funded research by Hashem El-Serag, MD, and Fasiha Kanwal, MD, has produced studies to evaluate biomarkers and improve screening techniques in hepatocellular carcinoma.3,4 Dr. Kerr discussed his experiences as a physician-scientist and the importance of basic science research as a foundation for clinical advances.
After the Affordable Care Act was passed, deductibles and coinsurance fees were waived for colorectal cancer screening tests that received an “A” or “B” grade from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. However, once a polyp is found and removed during a screening colonoscopy, the procedure is reclassified as a therapeutic procedure, meaning the patient will have to pay the coinsurance.5
Coinsurance costs can be 20%-25% of the Medicare-approved amount. In essence, patients may go into a procedure with the expectation that it will be 100% covered by insurance only to find out that they will receive a larger bill because polyps were removed. It puts gastroenterologists in a difficult position because they know that polyp removal will increase the cost to the patient; however, waiting for a repeat procedure would be redundant and lead to possible loss of follow-up care. The Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act would correct this by waiving the coinsurance for a screening colonoscopy even if polyps were removed.6 We discussed the importance of this legislation to removing barriers to screening.
Use of biologics has advanced the treatment of many diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, mandates by insurance companies can make it difficult to use these medications without first “stepping” through other less costly medications. We spoke with staffers regarding the Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act, which would remove unneeded barriers to prescribing appropriate therapy. It would also streamline the prior authorization/appeals process by requiring insurance companies to respond in a timely manner. We discussed the effects IBD has on the quality of life of our patients and shared our experiences in obtaining timely therapy.
As physicians, we are uniquely positioned to represent the needs of our patients. We appreciate AGA facilitating that voice by providing updates on legislation and coordinating meetings between senators, others members of Congress, and practicing gastroenterologists and GI fellows. AGA Advocacy Day is an important event to discuss our perspective as physicians and our experiences dealing with the health care system on a daily basis. Congressional staffers were very interested to hear our points of view as HCPs. They even shared their personal stories regarding friends and relatives with colon cancer and other digestive diseases. I strongly encourage other AGA members to take advantage of this important program. Other advocacy programs by AGA are discussed as follows.
Congressional Advocates Program
This is a grassroots program aimed at establishing a stronger foundation for our current and future advocacy initiatives by creating state teams to work on advocacy on the local, state, and national levels. Participation can include a wide variety of activities that range from creating educational posts on social media to meeting with government representatives. Members are mentored by AGA leadership and staff for advocacy training. Participating members receive an AGA Congressional Advocate Program Certificate, a Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) badge ribbon, policy badge on the AGA Community, and recognition on AGA’s website. Applications for the next cycle will be released in 2019.
AGA PAC
The AGA PAC is a voluntary, nonpartisan political organization affiliated with and supported by AGA and is the only political action committee supported by a national gastroenterology society. Its mission is to give gastroenterologists a greater presence on Capitol Hill and a more effective voice in policy discussions. AGA PAC supports candidates who support our policy priorities, such as fair reimbursement, cutting regulatory red tape, supporting patient protections and access to specialty care, and support for federal funding of digestive disease research. If you are interested in learning more, contact AGA’s Government and Political Affairs Manager, Navneet Buttar, at nbuttar@gastro.org or 240-482-3221.
GovPredict
AGA’s online advocacy platform allows members to contact their members of Congress with just a few clicks. AGA develops messages on key pieces of legislation, key efforts in Congress, or on issues being advanced by federal agencies that have great effects on gastroenterology. The platform also allows AGA to track legislation, key votes, a legislator’s priority issues, and other key legislative activity. AGA can also track member activity with a legislator and their staff, a key component in building and maintaining relationships with key legislators.
References
1. Ehrlich E. United for Medical Research. NIH’S role in sustaining the U.S. economy. http://www.unitedformedicalresearch.com/advocacy_reports/nihs-role-in-sustaining-the-u-s-economy-2017-update/nih-role-in-the-economy-fy2016-2/#.XD9RafZFy5t.
2. AGA. AGA position statement on research funding. http://www.gastro.org/take-action/top-issues/research-funding.
3. El-Serag HB et al. Gastroenterology. 2014 May;146(5):1249-55.e1.
4. White DL et al. Gastroenterology. 2015 Dec;149(7):1986-7.
5. AGA. AGA position statement on patient cost sharing for screening colonoscopy. http://www.gastro.org/take-action/top-issues/patient-cost-sharing-for-screening-colonoscopy.
6. Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017. S. 479 U.S.C. (2017-2018).
Dr. Natarajan has received clinical trial support from Gilead and Allergan. Dr. Natarajan is a member of the AGA Government Affairs Committee. This feature originally appeared in AGA Perspectives.
AGA workshops/webcasts to give free advice on advancing your GI career
The free half-day workshops and webcasts in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 16, 2019, and in Boston on March 30, 2019, emphasize mastering basic business skills that can help advance your GI career.
Fellows and early-career GIs will have an opportunity to connect with seasoned GIs to gain real-world insights on successfully managing their careers at one of two upcoming American Gastroenterological Association’s Regional Practice Skills Workshops. Seasoned faculty will share their experiences and recommendations on:
- Measuring quality and delivering value-based care.
- Health care reform and the future of GI.
- Planning and managing finances, and much more.
Register and plan to join one of the upcoming workshops or webcasts:
If you’re in the Columbus or Boston area, attending the workshop in person is a great opportunity to ask questions of presenters and to network with faculty and peers. If you are not able to attend in person, you may still benefit from the valuable information by registering for the live webcast.
Open to AGA members and nonmembers, the workshops have been a hit with recent attendees who have called them an “eye opener,” “amazing and very informative,” and “phenomenal.” Take advantage of this free learning opportunity and register for one or both events/webcasts today.
Registration for all workshops and webcasts is required.
Rising microbiome investigator: Lea Ann Chen, MD
Dr. Chen, of New York University, talks about her research on gastrointestinal illnesses and what motivated her to focus on the gut microbiome.
We spoke with Dr. Chen, the recipient of the AGA Research Foundation’s 2016 Research Scholar Award, to learn about her work on the gut microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
How would you sum up your research in one sentence?
I study longitudinal changes of the gut microbiome as it relates to gastrointestinal illnesses, particularly IBD.
What impact do you hope your research will have on patients?
I hope that my research will provide greater insights into the role of gut microbes in disease pathogenesis and activity to ultimately inform the development of new diagnostics and treatments.
What inspired you to focus your research career on the gut microbiome?
I’ve long been fascinated by ecological systems and host-microbe interactions. As technologies to study the gut microbiome became more readily available, I was eager, and somewhat relieved, to be able to combine my research interests with my clinical interest in gastroenterology.
What recent publication from your lab best represents your work, if anyone wants to learn more?
In this study, we show that gut bacterial disturbances are resolved after fecal transplantation in children without IBD but are only transiently resolved in those with IBD.
Hourigan S et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015;42:741-52.
You’re involved with several AGA initiatives, including the Future Leaders Program and the FMT National Registry. How has being an AGA member impacted your career?
AGA has provided key mentorship and training opportunities that have been instrumental in my career development. It has further helped me discover a diverse community of clinicians and scientists who are amazing role models, resources and colleagues. I really had no inkling what was in store when I first joined AGA as a trainee, but I feel very lucky that I did and am grateful for how AGA membership has really enriched my life as a gastroenterologist.
My experiences during AGA’s Advocacy Day: Facilitating change
BY YAMINI NATARAJAN, MD
The hospital is often the intersection between patients’ medical illness and their social and financial issues.
As physicians, it is important to recognize that patient care encompasses the prescribing of medications, the performing of procedures, as well as systems-based practice, and ensuring that social and financial barriers do not impede access to, and delivery of, care. Some of these barriers cannot be eliminated by any one individual health care professional (HCP); they can only be improved by working with government representatives and policymakers to make systemic changes. For gastroenterologists, advocacy involves educating patients, HCPs, and our government representatives about issues related to GI illnesses and the importance of ensuring access to GI specialty care and treatment for all the patients who require it.
AGA, via the Government Affairs Committee, facilitates advocacy in several ways. These include policy briefs, position statements, and facilitating meetings with our representatives and senators in home districts and in Washington. AGA hosted Advocacy Day in Washington on Sept. 14, 2018. Seventeen AGA members from 11 states visited 26 congressional offices. I am an assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. During Advocacy Day, I visited the office of my congressional representative, Rep. Pete Olsen (R-Tex.), as well as health policy advisors for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.). For the visits to the senators’ offices, I was joined by my colleagues from Baylor, Avinash Ketwaroo, MD, and Richard Robbins, MD, as well as Thomas Kerr, MD, PhD, of University of Texas, Dallas. During these visits, we discussed National Institutes of Health funding and barriers to effective care in digestive diseases such as copays for colonoscopy.
Academic institutions share the aim of conducting high-quality research to further advances in medicine. These research projects are often funded through NIH grant programs. Unfortunately, these programs are also often the target of budget cuts, which can affect primary research and also downstream economic growth. An analysis by United for Medical Research found that, for every dollar spent in NIH grants, $2 of economic output is generated.1 In 2016, these programs created 379,000 jobs and $64 billion in economic activity nationally. AGA calls for increased NIH funding to maintain pace with inflation.2
We also discussed how projects funded by NIH have led to important advances in gastroenterology in Texas. For example, NIH-funded research by Hashem El-Serag, MD, and Fasiha Kanwal, MD, has produced studies to evaluate biomarkers and improve screening techniques in hepatocellular carcinoma.3,4 Dr. Kerr discussed his experiences as a physician-scientist and the importance of basic science research as a foundation for clinical advances.
After the Affordable Care Act was passed, deductibles and coinsurance fees were waived for colorectal cancer screening tests that received an “A” or “B” grade from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. However, once a polyp is found and removed during a screening colonoscopy, the procedure is reclassified as a therapeutic procedure, meaning the patient will have to pay the coinsurance.5
Coinsurance costs can be 20%-25% of the Medicare-approved amount. In essence, patients may go into a procedure with the expectation that it will be 100% covered by insurance only to find out that they will receive a larger bill because polyps were removed. It puts gastroenterologists in a difficult position because they know that polyp removal will increase the cost to the patient; however, waiting for a repeat procedure would be redundant and lead to possible loss of follow-up care. The Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act would correct this by waiving the coinsurance for a screening colonoscopy even if polyps were removed.6 We discussed the importance of this legislation to removing barriers to screening.
Use of biologics has advanced the treatment of many diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, mandates by insurance companies can make it difficult to use these medications without first “stepping” through other less costly medications. We spoke with staffers regarding the Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act, which would remove unneeded barriers to prescribing appropriate therapy. It would also streamline the prior authorization/appeals process by requiring insurance companies to respond in a timely manner. We discussed the effects IBD has on the quality of life of our patients and shared our experiences in obtaining timely therapy.
As physicians, we are uniquely positioned to represent the needs of our patients. We appreciate AGA facilitating that voice by providing updates on legislation and coordinating meetings between senators, others members of Congress, and practicing gastroenterologists and GI fellows. AGA Advocacy Day is an important event to discuss our perspective as physicians and our experiences dealing with the health care system on a daily basis. Congressional staffers were very interested to hear our points of view as HCPs. They even shared their personal stories regarding friends and relatives with colon cancer and other digestive diseases. I strongly encourage other AGA members to take advantage of this important program. Other advocacy programs by AGA are discussed as follows.
Congressional Advocates Program
This is a grassroots program aimed at establishing a stronger foundation for our current and future advocacy initiatives by creating state teams to work on advocacy on the local, state, and national levels. Participation can include a wide variety of activities that range from creating educational posts on social media to meeting with government representatives. Members are mentored by AGA leadership and staff for advocacy training. Participating members receive an AGA Congressional Advocate Program Certificate, a Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) badge ribbon, policy badge on the AGA Community, and recognition on AGA’s website. Applications for the next cycle will be released in 2019.
AGA PAC
The AGA PAC is a voluntary, nonpartisan political organization affiliated with and supported by AGA and is the only political action committee supported by a national gastroenterology society. Its mission is to give gastroenterologists a greater presence on Capitol Hill and a more effective voice in policy discussions. AGA PAC supports candidates who support our policy priorities, such as fair reimbursement, cutting regulatory red tape, supporting patient protections and access to specialty care, and support for federal funding of digestive disease research. If you are interested in learning more, contact AGA’s Government and Political Affairs Manager, Navneet Buttar, at nbuttar@gastro.org or 240-482-3221.
GovPredict
AGA’s online advocacy platform allows members to contact their members of Congress with just a few clicks. AGA develops messages on key pieces of legislation, key efforts in Congress, or on issues being advanced by federal agencies that have great effects on gastroenterology. The platform also allows AGA to track legislation, key votes, a legislator’s priority issues, and other key legislative activity. AGA can also track member activity with a legislator and their staff, a key component in building and maintaining relationships with key legislators.
References
1. Ehrlich E. United for Medical Research. NIH’S role in sustaining the U.S. economy. http://www.unitedformedicalresearch.com/advocacy_reports/nihs-role-in-sustaining-the-u-s-economy-2017-update/nih-role-in-the-economy-fy2016-2/#.XD9RafZFy5t.
2. AGA. AGA position statement on research funding. http://www.gastro.org/take-action/top-issues/research-funding.
3. El-Serag HB et al. Gastroenterology. 2014 May;146(5):1249-55.e1.
4. White DL et al. Gastroenterology. 2015 Dec;149(7):1986-7.
5. AGA. AGA position statement on patient cost sharing for screening colonoscopy. http://www.gastro.org/take-action/top-issues/patient-cost-sharing-for-screening-colonoscopy.
6. Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017. S. 479 U.S.C. (2017-2018).
Dr. Natarajan has received clinical trial support from Gilead and Allergan. Dr. Natarajan is a member of the AGA Government Affairs Committee. This feature originally appeared in AGA Perspectives.