Surgeons Take On Capitol Hill: AAOS OrthoPAC Completes Successful Advocacy Fly-In Event

On June 4, the Political Action Committee of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoPAC) and the AAOS Office of Government Relations (OGR) hosted surgeon leaders in Washington, D.C., for a group fly-in event. This event brought together key members from American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and AAOS leadership for a series of high-impact meetings with lawmakers and staff on both sides of the aisle. The purpose of these meetings was to discuss critical orthopaedic issues, such as Medicare payment reform, prior authorization reform, and the repeal of the moratorium on physician-led hospitals.

ASES fellowship fosters advocacy leaders
ASES’ participation in this fly-in event highlights the value of its membership in the OrthoPAC Advisor’s Circle, which includes assistance from OGR staff in coordinating in-person advocacy opportunities in Washington, D.C. Through this partnership, AAOS is proud to lend its support to the ASES Mark Frankle, MD, Health Care Policy Award, which establishes an advocacy-focused fellowship for selected members of ASES. The yearly fly-in event is essential to the fellows’ goal of fostering a new generation of orthopaedic advocacy leaders.

This year’s award recipients, Nathan Boes, MD, and Misty Suri, MD, FAAOS, were joined by fellow ASES member Miguel Ramirez, MD, FAAOS, in attending meetings at several congressional offices. By spending time in the Washington, D.C., offices connecting with and working alongside OGR staff, the fellows also got a behind-the-scenes look at how AAOS advocates for the highest-quality musculoskeletal care year-round.

Partnering with physicians across specialties and regions
In addition to colleagues from ASES, we were joined by advocacy champions Frederic Liss, MD; Noah Raizman, MD, FAAOS; and Gary Stewart, MD, FAAOS, for the fourth annual House Call on the Mall, an event that brings physicians from multiple specialties and from all over the country to Washington, D.C., to advocate for relevant physician issues on the Hill. Through a series of meetings and receptions throughout the day, our delegation of orthopaedic surgeons was able to stand alongside colleagues from other specialties and speak with a united voice on issues such as prior authorization reform and Medicare reimbursement, which are top of mind for all physicians.

The day kicked off with a policy breakfast, where our members heard updates on the current political landscape from several key lawmakers, including Rep. John Joyce, MD (R-Pa.), Rep. Mike Burgess, MD (R-Texas), Sen. Roger Marshall, MD (R-Kan.), and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.). Following the breakfast, we made our way over to the Capitol Hill office buildings for a packed schedule of meetings with key decision makers on musculoskeletal health policy. In addition to these meetings with legislators, our group attended important political events with members of Congress who provided an update on Congress’ ongoing efforts to reform prior authorization and reduce the administrative burden on physicians and patients.

Other fundraising events alongside House Call on the Mall offered a chance to meet with candidates looking to become the next generation of physician champions on Capitol Hill. With so many of the physicians in Congress retiring this year, these opportunities to build relationships with candidates will only strengthen our ability to hit the ground running with our advocacy in the new Congress.

Reflections on the fly-in event
Reflecting on the success of the fly-in event, certain opportunities OrthoPAC created for our members to forge personal connections with policymakers stand out. For example, by spending time speaking with lawmakers, we learn about their personal connections to our issues, such as a family member who is involved with orthopaedics or a personal experience receiving orthopaedic care. Although policy discussions and legislative talking points are important, these small opportunities to share personal stories and build rapport with policymakers demonstrate the true value that OrthoPAC can unlock for our members.

On the policy front, another key takeaway from our meetings was Congress’ renewed focus on healthcare issues. Major national news stories such as the Change Healthcare cyberattack have helped push healthcare back into the spotlight, and lawmakers are certainly paying attention. There is a palpable desire among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to stem the tide of rapid consolidation and vertical integration in our healthcare system and to take a deeper look at underlying forces—such as declining physician reimbursement—that can make independent practice unsustainable. Although the turbulence on Capitol Hill is unlikely to improve as we head into the thick of a presidential election year, there is growing momentum around many of our advocacy priorities that will leave us well positioned heading into the AAOS Combined National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference/Fall Meeting in September.

From productive meetings with lawmakers and staff, to strong participation from AAOS members and the investment in developing the next generation of orthopaedic advocacy leaders, this fly-in day once again demonstrated why AAOS is among the best medical advocacy organizations. For more information on how you can get involved in advocacy, visit the AAOS Advocacy Action Center at aaos.org/advocacy/advocacy-action-center.

The Political Action Committee of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoPAC) is affiliated with and connected to the 501(c)(6) Association. OrthoPAC is not connected to or affiliated with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Adam J. Bruggeman, MD, MHA, FAAOS, FAOA, is chair of the AAOS Advocacy Council and a council liaison to the AAOS Now Editorial Board.

Wayne A. Johnson, MD, FAAOS, FACS, is a shoulder and knee arthroscopy specialist at Memorial Medical Group Orthopaedics in Lawton, Oklahoma. He currently serves as chair of the AAOS OrthoPAC Executive Committee and previously served as chair of the AAOS Board of Councilors.