ACG Urges CMS to Grant MIPS Exemptions for States Impacted by Hurricane Florence
This week, your ACG Governors from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia urged CMS Administrator Seema Verma to grant CY 2018 MIPS reporting hardship exemptions for those ACG members impacted by Hurricane Florence. ACG successfully advocated for similar hardship exemptions last year, and also shepherded a resolution through the American Medical Association House of Delegates meeting in November 2017. ACG urged CMS to announce waivers for MIPS-eligible clinicians in these states for the CY 2018 reporting year, to facilitate their complete recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Florence.
Please read the ACG Governors’ letter to CMS here.
The ACG Board of Governors will continue to advocate on behalf of clinical GI and our patients, including efforts to reduce the regulatory burdens of GI practices.
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.
ACG’s Legislative Action Center: Your Resource for Important Federal and State Bills Impacting Clinical GI
What are some important bills impacting GI in Congress? In your state? How can you easily voice your support?
ACG’s Legislative Action Center is your one stop resource to review and advocate for various federal and state bills impacting your profession, practice, and patients.
Click here to take action, using our simple process.
Click here to find out which bills ACG supports, opposes, and is monitoring.
Click here for voter registration and election information in your state.
Is there a bill or issue that ACG should support? Let us know!
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.
CMS... SGR... MACRA... MIPS... APMs... QCDRs... ACOs... Why does Washington D.C. love acronyms and complicated payment systems? What the heck is going on here? ACG Hopes to Keep This Simple. We compiled a detailed overview for you that seeks to make some sense out of this alphabet soup – but hopefully in a simplified fashion and in plain English. Read the summary and potential impact to GI.

From ACG Legislative and Public Policy Council Chair, Whitfield L. Knapple, MD, FACG
ACG Working with Congress on E/M Proposal: Thank you, ACG Members!
Thank you ACG members for your advocacy! As mentioned in a recent alert, in July, Medicare proposed major changes to documentation and payment for Evaluation and Management (E/M) services. The proposal, aimed at reducing documentation requirements, resulted in a single-blended payment rate for level 2 through 5 office visits for new and established patients. This reduces reimbursement for level 3-5 office visits. ACG and GI societies are actively involved in opposing this change. ACG is also working with like-minded organizations in getting Congress involved.
Over the past two weeks, ACG urged members to reach out to your Members of Congress and request that they sign onto House and Senate letters to CMS, urging the agency to rethink this proposal. Your efforts are working.
The U.S. House Letter: 90 members of the U.S. House of Representative signed the letter to CMS opposing this E/M change. Please read the letter here.
The U.S. Senate Letter: 24 members of the U.S. Senate signed the letter to CMS. Please read the letter here.
Thank you all for your efforts! CMS is scheduled to announce in November if this proposed will be finalized beginning CY 2019.
FDA Pediatric IBD Workshop: Register to Attend November Event

ACG and other like-minded organizations are working in collaboration with the FDA on a Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Workshop. This event will take place on Friday, November 16, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The event is located at FDA’s White Oak Campus, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Building #31 – Room 1503A; Silver Spring, MD 20903. Remote participation is available.
This workshop is open to the public with no cost to attend, but registration is still required. Clinicians, investigators, patients and parents of patients, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations and regulators are encouraged to attend.
Goals and Objectives:
- The aim of the workshop will be to discuss current barriers to expeditious pediatric IBD drug development and steps to overcome them.
- Specific topics will include a review of the legislation relevant to pediatric trials, extrapolation, trial design considerations, dose selection and the level of evidence required to establish safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients with IBD.