This Week in Washington DC – February 19, 2022

From ACG Legislative and Public Policy Council Chair, Louis J. Wilson, MD, FACG

ACG prior authorization survey highlights the harm to patient care and GI practices.

Alarming results from a survey of over 150 ACG physicians from 43 states and Puerto Rico by the ACG Legislative and Public Policy Council underscore the negative impact prior authorization has on patient care and GI practices. The results confirm what ACG members have known for some time:

Prior authorization is detrimental to patient care and overwhelming GI practices with wasteful and unnecessary burdens.

Highlights: ACG Prior Authorization Advocacy One-Pager
Click here for the ACG Prior Authorization Advocacy One-Pager. Please share and help bring attention to these dangerous trends limiting access to care and impinging the patient-physician relationship.

Wanted: Patient Stories Showing Harm and Adverse Events from Prior Authorization
The negative consequences of prior authorization policies include delays in therapy, poorer clinical outcomes, and even adverse events. The College is eager to hear from patients directly.

Please encourage your patients to contact ACG about their experiences with prior authorization and the impact to their care. ACG is collating these stories for meetings with legislators and hopes to bring the power of patient voices to these discussions.

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Tidbits from the week:
The U.S. Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the Federal Government open through March 11, 2022. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the measure on February 7th. This stopgap bill staved off yet another threat of a government shutdown on February 18, 2022. Congress will now have three more weeks to reach a bipartisan agreement on the fiscal year (FY) 2022 spending bills.

The U.S. Senate also confirmed Dr. Robert Califf as the next Administrator of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Califf previously held this role during the Obama Administration.