ASA July 2007 Newsletter

All Hands on Deck

Ronald Szabat, J.D., LL.M.
Executive Vice-President – External Affairs & General Counsel

s this NEWSLETTER dedicated to Governmental Affairs memorializes in part, ASA members came to Washington in record numbers in early May to lobby Congress. Keeping with ASA's strong tradition, the annual Legislative Conference was an opportunity to see, hear, learn and act. Just as leadership skills are learnable, so too are lobbying skills. And this year was no exception.

Following an energetic and widely attended President’s Forum that showcased our strong component society leaders detailing action to advance and defend anesthesiology in their states, the conference turned to a special session of "Congress 101" to ensure that resident physicians and other newer attendees developed and shared a common understanding of the terminology and ways of Washington. Not surprisingly a number of longtime attendees took advantage of this opportunity to brush up on the basics. As I constantly remind our ASA staff and myself, the "specialty" of lobbying requires translation to our members. We all must build a culture where questions can be easily asked and answered while advancing our cause in the legislative and regulatory arena. Otherwise, our well-honed messaging will fail, and our ASA members will become distracted by the antics and half-truths of our competitors.

Ably presided over by Jane C. K. Fitch, M.D., ASA's own chair of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, anesthesiology was placed to welcome key members of Congress and the Administration to our conference. In a concentrated day and a half of speakers both from government and from within the leadership ranks of ASA, the 2007 Legislative Conference was purposefully designed to keep the focus on our issues, message and how to reach our federal elected representatives and senators.


Jane C.K. Fitch, M.D., Chair of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, calls the 2007 ASA Legislative Conference to order.	Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-WI), addresses the 2007 ASA Legislative Conference.

First up was Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-WI), Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee and member of the Ways and Means Committee. A dynamic speaker, Rep. Ryan touched on the key national issues confronting physicians, and anesthesiology in particular. He also painted the ominous picture that we face as a debtor nation trying to fulfill long-term promises to the nation’s elderly for health and income security.

Alexander A. Hannenberg, M.D., ASA Vice-President for Professional Affairs, presents updates about pay-for-performance measures.


Leslie V. Norwalk, Esq., acting administrator for CMS, addresses the 2007 ASA Legislative Conference.	John B. Neeld, Jr., M.D., left, recipient of the fourth annual ASA Excellence in Government Award, with ASA President Mark J. Lema, M.D., Ph.D.

From the Bush Administration, ASA then welcomed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk, Esq. Ms. Norwalk, who has ably led the agency on an interim basis in recent months, presented a compelling account of the major regulatory challenges and opportunities faced by Medicare. Her remarks spanned the full range of issues from the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula to the PQRI, the newly developing Physician Quality Reporting Initiative — a voluntary program whereby willing physicians who report on one to three measures during the second half of 2007 will see a 1.5-percent bonus payment from Medicare at year's end. The Acting Administrator also reflected on the need to address Medicare's anesthesia conversion factor and the teaching rule cuts that have uniquely disadvantaged anesthesiology teaching rule programs over the last decade.


Michael T. Kissel, M.D., and Stephen R. Smith, M.D., pose with Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), center. Rep. Akin is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1866, anesthesiology “Rural Pass-Through” legislation.	Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), far left, meets with members of the Maine Society of Anesthesiologists.


Members of the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists meet with Rep. Norman Dicks (D-WA), second from left, during legislative visits on Capitol Hill.	Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), center, meets with members of the North Carolina Society of Anesthesiologists in her office on Capitol Hill.

Among other major speakers, ASA also welcomed 1999 ASA President John B. Neeld, Jr., M.D., who received the 2007 ASA Governmental Affairs award for outstanding service by an ASA member in furtherance of our advocacy agenda. In parallel fashion, ASA presented its external award for outstanding career governmental service to House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), a longtime friend of anesthesiology. Rep. Pallone addressed the conference near its close on Wednesday and highlighted the major issues facing medicine, with particular emphasis on the need for Medicare reform of the anesthesiology teaching rule and the rural pass-through. Not surprisingly, Chairman Pallone also spoke about the overarching need for SGR reform, again noting the tough economic and fiscal climate facing the nation.


House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) speaks at a Congressional reception as part of the 2007 Legislative Conference. Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-CT) listens in the background.	House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) meets with Manuel Bonilla, ASA Associate Director of Federal Affairs.


House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), far right, meets with members of the ASA Administrative Council.	House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), fifth from left, and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), fourth from right, pose with members of the Arizona Society of Anesthesiologists during a congressional reception at the conference.


Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-OR), center, greets members of the Oregon Society of Anesthesiologists.	Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), second row, fourth from left, meets with members of the North Carolina Society of Anesthesiologists during legislative visits on Capitol Hill.


Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) speaks to participants of the 2007 ASA Legislative Conference after receiving the fourth annual Excellence in Government Award.	Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), sixth from right, poses with members of the Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists.


Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), far right, meets with members of the Colorado Society of Anesthesiologists during legislative visits on Capitol Hill.	Members of the New Jersey State Society of Anesthesiologists meet with Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), center, prior to his speech.


Members of the Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists meet with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), sixth from left, prior to his presentation to Legislative Conference participants.	ASA member Jerry S. Matsumura, M.D., with Nevada Senator John Ensign (R-NV), left, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), right.


Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK), third from right, greets members of the Oklahoma Society of Anesthesiologists in his office on Capitol Hill.	Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), third from right, meets with members of the West Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists.

Why is all this important? The answer is two-fold. First, the discipline of bringing our ASA members to Washington on a regular basis reminds the Hill that we are over 42,000 members strong and dedicated to undiluted safety in patient anesthesia medical care.

But more important, the Legislative Conference is democracy in action. Each and every ASA member needs to act today to bring our message to Congress and the Administration. If you have not recently visited the ASA Web site under "What's New," your help is urgently needed. Congress will be too busy with other issues from other groups if you don't make contact and lobby for anesthesiology's agenda. Please join our friends and colleagues already on deck. Your efforts will make us all stronger as the winds howl and we continue to navigate stormy seas!