Legislative Affairs

About the Washington Committee
- Washington Committee Staff
- How the Washington Committee Works for You
- Washington Update May 2009
  Spring 2007
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  Washington Committee Report
- Washington Committee Members and Relationships
Emergency Care and Stroke
Fraud and Abuse
- Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Interim Final Rule (IFR) - 5-28-10
Graduate Medical Education
- Neurosurgery joins Surgical Coalition in Opposing OSHA Regulation of Resident Duty Hours - 12/7/10
- Neurosurgeons Praise Revised Medical Resident Work Hour Rules - 6-24-10
  The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), and Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS) applaud the newly-released draft standards to revise the national requirements for the supervision and duty hours of medical residents. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) task force, charged with reassessing resident training program standards, issued the new recommendations based on a 16-month scientific review.
  Read the news release.
Guidelines
- Brain Metastases Treatment Guidelines – 12-09(PDF)
- As Nation Focuses on Reforming Healthcare, Neurosurgeons Release the First Evidence-Based, Multidisciplinary Treatment Guidelines for Brain Metastases Patients.
  Read a summary and access the guidelines.
  Read More.
Medical Liability Reform
- Neurosurgery Opposes Tax Break for Trial Lawyers: Click here to read letter organized medicine sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner objecting to this proposed new tax policy.
Quality Improvement

Understanding Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue to offer incentive payments to physicians who report quality data in 2010 under the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). Physicians who successfully report quality measures to CMS in 2010 are eligible for an incentive payment of 2% of total allowed Medicare Part B charges furnished during the reporting period. Learn more by clicking here (PDF).
- AANS-CNS Urge Medicare to Fix Accuracy of Physician Compare - 1/12/12
  Read more.
- AANS/CNS Submit Comments on Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Proposal - 6-6-11
  Read more.
- Multi-society Letter to DEA Regarding Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances - 5-26-10
- Joint Surgical Society Letter to HHS Regarding Medicare and Medicaid Programs-Electronic Health Record Incentive Program - 3-15-10
- Alliance of Specialty Medicine Letter to HHS Regarding Medicare and Medicaid Programs-Electronic Health Record Incentive Program - 3-15-10
- Understanding Medicare's Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program - 02-03-10
  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue to offer incentive payments to physicians who report quality data in 2010 under the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). Physicians who successfully report quality measures to CMS in 2010 are eligible for an incentive payment of 2% of total allowed Medicare Part B charges furnished during the reporting period.
  Read More.
Coding and Reimbursement
- Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, June 18, 2020
- AANS and CNS Lead Effort to Modify Aetna Spine Surgery Policy - 3-14-11
  Read more.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Revises Lumbar Fusion Policy - 12-15-10
  Read more.
- Statement of the State and Specialty Medical Societies on the Medicare Physician Payment Crisis - 6-16-10
  Failure by Congress to fulfill its responsibilities is undermining patient care in America. Three times this year, Congress has missed a deadline for dealing with Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, raising the specter of a 21 percent payment cut for physician services. The disruption and uncertainty for patients and physicians has made Medicare an unreliable program. Read the full statement (add hyperlink to the statement).
  Read More.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
  Final Consultation Letter - 06-18-10
  Read More.
- Alliance of Specialty Medicine Letter in Support of H.R. 4985 to Repeal the IPAB -
  04-06-10
  Read More.
- What Surgeons Should Know About 2010 Changes to Medicare Payment for Consultation Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, January 2010 Services
- Alliance Members Sign Letter of Opposition on Establishment of Independent Payment Advisory Board - 01-15-10
  Members of the Alliance of Specialty Medicine, including the AANS and CNS, have joined dozens of other organizations concerned about Medicare beneficiaries in opposition to the establishment of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) included in the Senate-passed health reform bill (H.R. 3590).
  Read the Letter.
  Read the News Release.
- Summary of 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
  In October, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule for Calendar Year (CY) 2010. This summary highlights the provisions affecting neurosurgeons.
  Read More.
- CMS Slashes Medicare Reimbursement for Stereotactic Radiosurgery for 2009. - 12-08
- AANS, CNS and AMA Conducting Physician Practice Information Survey - 1/18/08
- Medicare Participation Options for Physicians 2008 - 11-07
- House Passes CHAMP Bill 225 to 204 - 8-20-07
- Coverage Decision Memorandum for Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement (LADR) - 8-14-07
Miscellaneous