About this newsletter
The ACP Advocate is an e-newsletter, edited by the College's Washington, DC governmental affairs division, created to provide you, our members, with succinct news about public policy issues affecting internal medicine and patient care. To learn more about ACP's Advocacy and to access the ACP Advocate archives, go to www.acponline.org/advocacy. |
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Welcome to the ACP Advocate
I'm excited to bring to you our first story today. As we begin a New Year we're looking back at some of the ways that ACP Advocacy has improved things for practicing internists. I think it's important for us to look back on the changes we've been able to make in order to better inform our agenda for the coming year. I encourage you to read the article and click on the links at the end that will give you both a more detailed accounting of 2013, and a look ahead at what we're planning for 2014.
Our second story lets you know about a new report from the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative. This annual review shows that we're realizing the promise that we believe Patient-Centered Medical Homes can provide. The report finds that in a review of recent studies medical homes have been shown to reduce cost and improve the quality of care.
Finally, our last story today is about a new report on health care spending. The report that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published in the January Health Affairs finds that health care spending is continuing to grow at an increasingly slower rate. Spending for 2012 grew at the slowest rate since the government started tracking it in 1960. Take a look at our article for more about what the article found and some of the reasons that may be why we're seeing this trend.
Until our next issue, for more coverage of what's happening in Washington take a look at my award-winning blog, The ACP Advocate Blog by Bob Doherty. You can also follow me on Twitter @BobDohertyACP.
As always, please send your feedback and suggestions on this newsletter to: TheACPAdvocate@acponline.org.
Yours truly,
Bob Doherty
Senior Vice President
Governmental Affairs and Public Policy
American College of Physicians |
In the news
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ACP Reflects on Advocacy Achievements in 2013 |
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Successes range from improving the way Medicare pays internists for care to ensuring health coverage for more people
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With health care reform fully underway, advocacy efforts from the American College of Physicians has helped steer those reforms toward significantly better support of internists and their patients, said Bob... » Click to read the full article
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In focus
The ACA on Jan. 1
With the bulk of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions having gone into effect on Jan. 1, ACP has updated our resources on ACA enrollment. We encourage you to visit our page for more information about resources that can help your patients enroll in the health insurance exchanges. We also have a new resource “Affordable Care Act Issues Physicians Need to Know” which can help guide you in speaking with patients about their concerns on things like network issues, deductibles and prescription drug coverage. |
Become an Advocate for Internal Medicine
Join ACP’s Advocates for Internal Medicine Network (AIMn). You’ll find updates about the latest legislation affecting internists and be able to help contribute to ACP’s continued success on Capitol Hill. In addition, the program will provide you with legislative alerts designed to help you easily email or call your members of Congress to let them hear about the issues important to you and other internal medicine physicians. |
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