House Drug Pricing Bill HR 3 Includes the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Provisions

From ACG Legislative and Public Policy Council Chair, Whitfield L. Knapple, MD, FACG

Good News! The House Drug Pricing bill, HR 3, includes a section on removing barriers to colorectal cancer screening that ACG has long championed. Next week's vote is one step closer to fixing a Medicare glitch known as the "post-polypectomy surprise."

On Thursday, the House of Representatives Committee on Energy & Commerce released the House Leadership's plan on reducing drug prices, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (HR 3). Included in this package is a top legislative priority for ACG: removing Medicare beneficiary cost-sharing when a polyp is removed during a screening colonoscopy. Thank you to all ACG members whose tireless advocacy efforts helped get this essential provision included in a major health care legislative package.

The House is scheduled to vote on HR 3 next week. However, the U.S. Senate is not expected to take up the package. ACG will keep you updated on HR 3 and will be asking for your help in getting the U.S. Senate to consider including the Removing Barriers bill language in any year-end legislation.

Learn More about HR 3.

An Update From Your ACG Pennsylvania Governors: Working With the PA State Legislature on Important Legislation Impacting Our Patients

From ACG Pennsylvania Governors Randall Brand, MD, FACG (Western) & Joyann Kroser, MD, FACG (Eastern)

Recently, ACG joined the Pennsylvania Society of Gastroenterology (PSG) in Pennsylvania, advocating for HB 1194, a bill designed to limit the use of step therapy and prior authorization.

ACG and PSG also urged the state legislature to pass legislation on surprise billing and out-of-network disputes using the median commercial in-network payment rate, as well as providing for an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process.

ACG Governor for Eastern Pennsylvania Joyann Kroser, MD, FACG, Pennsylvania State Representative Steve Barrar,
and ACG Board of Trustee Member Immanuel Ho, MD, FACG
ACG and the PSG continue to advocate on behalf of our physician members and patients. We will continue to maintain a dialogue with members and non-members to highlight national issues, as well as important issues affecting Pennsylvania as well. There is a lot happening in Pennsylvania in GI and medicine in general, so stay up-to-date and informed with ACG and PSG for any and all updates to come.

Learn more about the PSG here.

Use ACG's state society website to learn more about what is going on in other states across the U.S.

A message from ACG Board of Governors Chair, Neil Stollman, MD, FACG and Vice Chair, Patrick Young, MD, FACG: Remember to contact your ACG Governor on important state and local issues impacting you and your practice.


The ACG Board of Governors is one of the most unique aspects of the American College of Gastroenterology. Governors are ACG Fellows that are elected from the membership of a particular state or region. There are currently 77 Governors across seven different regions in the U.S. and abroad. The Board of Governors acts as a two-way conduit between College leadership and the membership at-large. This helps the College make certain it is meeting the evolving needs of the membership.

Feel free to use the link below in the "Contact Your Governor" box to let your Governor know of any issues affecting you or your practice, as it will help them help you! They're a great resource and your direct link to ACG.

New Podcast! ACG Practice Management Toolbox: Marketing Your Practice in the Digital Era

This week, we have the next installment in the ACG Practice Management Toolbox Podcast series. The podcast deals with "Marketing Your Practice in the Digital Era" and making sure you are using social media and the internet to the fullest extent possible to most effectively market your practice.

What is the Practice Management Toolbox?

Gastroenterologists in private practice find themselves working in a time of unprecedented transformation. Pressures are high as they make important management decisions that profoundly affect their business future, their private lives, and their ability to provide care to patients. The ACG Practice Management Committee has a mission to bring practicing colleagues together to explore solutions to overcome management challenges, to improve operations, enhance productivity, and support physician leadership. It was in this spirit that the Practice Management Toolbox was created.

The Toolbox is a series of short articles, written by practicing gastroenterologists, that provide members with easily accessible information to improve their practices. Each article covers an issue important to private practice gastroenterologists and physician-lead clinical practices.