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Clinical Tools & Guidelines

Letters to Policy Makers

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Rheumatology advocacy involves several branches of government and various agencies. ACR advocates to Congress, federal agencies, and others by writing or signing on to various policy letters.

2025 Federal Advocacy Letters

Barriers to Access

Department of Labor: Drug Costs – ACR-led coalition calls for closure of the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) loophole – 4/22/2025

Congress: Barriers to Access – ACR joins coalition thanking Congressional champions for reintroducing the Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act for prior authorization reform – 3/28/2025

Congress: Barriers to Access – ACR joins letter thanking Congressional champions for reintroducing the Help Copays Act to prohibit the use of accumulator policies by health plans – 3/13/2025

HHS: HIPAA – ACR-led Coalitions calls for Security Rule updates to be retracted – 3/7/2025

CMS: Medicare Advantage – ACR-led coalition calls for streamlining prior authorization in Medicare Advantage – 1/27/2025

CMS: Medicare Advantage – ACR defends IRA and supports streamlining PA in Medicare Advantage – 1/27/2025

Physician Payment

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR joins medical specialty coalition calling for the inclusion of a physician pay fix in the next government funding package – 3/10/2025

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR coalition calls for inclusion of the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act in forthcoming government funding package to offset current MPFS cuts and provide an inflationary update to payment – 2/28/2025

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR joins AMA coalition endorsing legislation that would halt current CY25 fee schedule cuts and provide a 2% inflationary inflationary update to payment – 2/10/2025

CMS: Medicare – ACR comments on final 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule – 1/17/2025

Access to Treatments

Congress: Biosimilars – ACR-led Coalition calls for Congress to address step therapy and inadequate reimbursement for biosimilars – 4/9/2025

CMS: Biosimilars – ACR-led coalition calls for CMS to address inadequate reimbursement for biosimilars – 1/27/2025

Medical Workforce

Congress: Medical Workforce – ACR joins letter thanking Congressional champions for reintroducing the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act to allow borrowers to qualify for interest free deferment of loans while in residency programs – 3/27/2025

Congress Medical Workforce – ACR joins letter thanking Congressional champions for reintroducing the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (identical letter sent to both chambers) – 3/26/2025

Congressional Leadership: Medical Workforce – ACR coalition endorses the Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Reauthorization Act supporting occupational wellbeing – 3/18/2025

Telehealth

Coming soon

Research Funding

HHS: ACR writes in support of the National Institute of Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), its role in chronic disease research, and express concern should NIAMS be consolidated into another division - 5/5/2025

HHS: Medical Research - ACR and Lupus Foundation of America write joint letter urging the preservation of CDC & OMF Lupus programming in agency reorganization - 4/30/2025

Congress: Medical Research – ACR joins coalition recommending $51 billion for the NIH in FY 2026 and reaffirms agency support – 4/7/2025

NIH: Federal Research Funding – ACR leadership joins multispecialty coalition calling for the NIH to rescind 15% Cap to Facilities and Administrative Reimbursement – 3/5/2025

House and Senate Appropriations Committee Leadership: Federal Research Funding – ACR coalition reaffirms AHRQ support in the 119th Congress – 3/3/2025

Federal Research Funding – ACR joins coalition requesting a $1.77B funding increase for the NIH, and preventing changes to the NIH facilities and administrative cost reimbursements – 2/20/2025

Congress: Federal Research Funding – ACR coalition reaffirms NIH support in the 119th Congress – 1/31/2025

Congress: Healthcare Workforce – ACR Coalition Calls for Reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act – 12/4/2024

Congress: Federal Research Funding – ACR Coalition Calls for Full Funding Levels for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program in the FY25 Defense Appropriations Act – 12/2/2024

Congress: Underwater Biosimilars – ACR Coalition Urges Congress to Remove Manufacturer Rebates from Biosimilar ASPs – 11/30/2024

US Senate: ACR joins Coalition Letter Congratulating Senate Majority Leader-Elect John Thune – 11/25/2024

Congress: Federal Research Funding – ACR Coalition Calls for Passing the Labor-HHS Budget with the Senate Appropriations Committee-Approved Funding Level of $48.9 Billion for NIH, in Addition to Funding for ARPA-H – 11/18/2024

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR Joins AMA Coalition Calling to Prevent Scheduled Pay Cut and to Provide an Inflationary Update to MPFS Payment – 11/15/2024

Congress: Drug Pricing – ACR Joins Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Pass Bipartisan PBM Transparency and Accountability Legislation – 11/12/2024

Congress: Step Therapy – ACR Coalition Asks for the Passage of the Safe Step Act as Included in PBM Reform Legislation – 10/15/24

ONC: Clinical Registries – ACR Supports Updates to USCDI+ – 10/15/2024

Congress: Prior Authorization – ACR Coalition Calls for CBO Scoring and Swift Passage of the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act – 10/14/2024

HHS: Part B Coverage – ACR-led Coalition Calls for Changes to Self-Administered Drug (SAD) Exclusion List – 9/17/2024

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR Coalition Calls for Legislation to Provide an Inflationary Update to Physician Payments – 9/10/2024

Congress: Medicare – ACR Comments on CY24 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program Proposed Rule – 9/9/24

Congress: Prior Authorization – ACR-led Coalition Calls for Congress to Pass the Electronic Prior Authorization for Prescription Drugs Act – 8/22/2024

FDA: Biosimilar Interchangeability Status – ACR Supports FDA Proposal to Not Require Switching Studies for Biosimilars to Have Interchangeabililty Status – 8/20/2024

CMS: Underwater Biosimilar Reimbursement – ACR-led Coalition Asks CMS to Work with Congress to Remove PBM Rebates from ASP for Biosimilars – 8/9/2024

Congress: Clinical Registries – ACR-led Coalition Asks Congress for Better Access to Claims Data – 8/2/2024

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR Joins AMA Coalition Asking Congress to Enact Medicare Reimbursement Reform and Overhaul MIPS – 7/24/2024

Congress: Healthcare Workforce – ACR Workforce Coalition Responds to Senate Finance Committee Proposal on Medicare Graduate Medical Education – 6/27/2024

CMS, Treasury, and Labor: ACR-led Coalition Asks Agencies to Allow Patient Copays to Count Toward Annual Deductibles – 6/24/2024

President Biden: ACR-led Coalition Calls for Creation of Office of Caregiver Health at HHS – 6/20/2024

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement – ACR Responds to Senate Finance Committee White Paper on Bolstering Chronic Care Through Physician Payment: Current Challenges and Policy Options in Medicare Part B – 6/14/2024

Congress: Private Practice – ACR Responds to Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Hearing on The Collapse of Private Practice: Examining the Challenges Facing Independent Medicine – 6/6/2024

Congress: Research Funding – ACR Coalition Asks Senate to Fully Fund the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs in Fiscal Year 2025 (letter also sent to House) – 5/30/2024

CMS: ACR Coalition CMS to Make Prior Authorization Data in Medicare Advantage More Transparent and Accessible – 5/29/2024

CMS: Medicare Advantage Data Transparency – ACR Urges CMS to Make Prior Authorization, Health Equity, and Drug Pricing Data in Medicare Advantage More Transparent – 5/29/2024

ONC: ACR Supports ONC's Proposed Framework for Health IT Regulation through 2030 – 5/28/2024

Congress: Healthcare Workforce Support: ACR coalition thanks Senate leaders for efforts to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act – 5/23/2024

HHS: ACR Coalition Asks HHS for More Clarity on HIPAA Reporting Requirements for Providers Impacted by Change Healthcare Cyberattack – 5/20/2024

CMS: Registry Access to Medicare Claims Data: ACR Coalition Urges CMS to Allow Clinical Data Registries Meaningful Access to Medicare Claims Data – 5/15/2024

Congress: Research Funding – ACR Coalition Thanks Congressional Champions for Introducing Legislation Strengthening Pediatric Rare Disease Treatment Research (identical letter sent to both chambers) – 5/7/2024

Congress: Pediatric Care – ACR coalition supporting HR 6664, The Innovation in Pediatric Drugs Act to strengthen the development of pediatric treatments – 5/7/2024

Congress: Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) Should be Easy to Access and Safe to Use – 4/3/2024

Congress: Drug Pricing – ACR coalition supports reforming the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers in healthcare – 3/18/2024

HRSA: Healthcare Workforce – ACR coalition advising on the application of criteria after the first year of PSLRP awards – 3/5/2024

Congress: Healthcare Workforce: ACR coalition supports 15,000 visas for foreign-born physicians to serve the U.S. healthcare system (additional letter sent to the House) – 2/27/2024

Congress: Healthcare Workforce Support: ACR coalition supports legislation to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act – 2/15/2024

Congress: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Fees: ACR coalition supports legislation to prohibit health plan fees on health care providers for EFTs – 1/24/2024

Congress: Medicare Reimbursement Cuts: ACR supports legislation to reverse the 3.37% Medicare physician payment cuts implemented on January 1, 2024 – 1/17/2024

CMS: Biosimilars in Medicare Part D: ACR requests guardrails to ensure that patients receive appropriate and timely treatments – 1/4/2024

ACR Responds to FDA Laboratory Developed Tests Proposed Rule – 12/4/2023

ACR Joins Physician Organizations in Support of Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act – 11/27/2023

ACR Joins AMA Letter Urging Congress to Pass Legislation to Stop the 3.37 Percent Reduction to Medicare Physician Payments Scheduled for January 1, 2024 – 11/16/2023

ACR Joins AMA Letter Thanking Congressional Leaders for Introducing Draft Legislation to Reform the Budget-Neutrality Policies that Destabilize & Erode Medicare Physician Payments – 10/31/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Enact the FY2024 Defense Appropriations Act, Ensure Ful Funding Levels for the Defense Health Research Programs, including CDMRP – 10/27/2023

ACR Letter to Support the Protecting Patient Access to Cancer and Complex Therapies Act of 2023 – 10/24/23

ACR Comments on CY24 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program Proposed Rule – 9/11/2023

ACR Joins Broad Coalition Letter in Support of CMS Implementing G2211 – 9/7/2023

ACR Leads Cognitive Specialties Coalition Letter in Support of CMS Implementing G2211 – 9/6/2023

Physician Organization Letter to Support the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act (S. 705/ H.R. 2761) – 8/28/23

Regulatory Relief Coalition Thanks Representatives Burgess and Gonzalez for introducing H.R. 4968, the Getting Over Lengthy Delays in Care As Required by Doctors (GOLD CARD) Act of 2023 – 8/11/2023

ACR/Arthritis Foundation Thank Appropriators for Funding Arthritis Research Program within CDMRP in FY 2024 DoD Appropriations Bill – 8/4/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Thanking Congressional Champions for Introducing the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act – 8/1/2023

All Copays Count Coalition, ACR Urge Congressional Leaders to Include the Help Ensure Lower Patient Copays Act (HELP Copays Act) in Anticipated PBM Reform Package – 7/14/2023

ACR Joins Safe Step Coalition in Thanking House Leaders of the Safe Step Act – 7/11/2023

ACR Joins Medical Society Letter Asking Congress to Take Action on the Medical Workforce Shortage - 6/29/2023

ACR Joins Letter to Senate Health, Education, Pension, and Labor Committee (HELP) Leaders in Support of the “Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act” to Combat Medical Student Loan Debt – 6/6/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Protect Access to Part B Treatments and Remove Providers from Drug Price Negotiation Processes – 5/30/2023

ACR and the Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians (ASP) Coalition Express Concern to Congress About Continued Payment Cuts to Providers’ Medicare reimbursement - 5/30/2023

As a Leading Member of the Regulatory Relief Coalition, ACR Thanks Congress for the Hearing “Examining Health Care Denials and Delays in Medicare Advantage” and Urges Continued Oversight of the use of Prior Authorization by Medicare Advantage - 5/26/2023

ACR Leads Coalition Letter to Senate Appropriators Requesting $30 Million in FY24 for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (additional letter sent to House appropriators) – 5/17/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Thanking Senate Leaders of the Safe Step Act for Introducing the Legislation to Create Guardrails for Step Therapy Protocols – 5/11/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Thanking Senate Leaders of the Help Ensure Lower Patient Copays Act (HELP Copays Act) for Introducing the Legislation to Increase Access to Medications – 5/10/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter to Congress Endorsing The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act Which Would Fund 14,000 Additional Graduate Medical Education Training Positions Through Medicare – 5/8/2023

ACR Letter Addressing the High Prices of Drugs Covered under Medicare Part B – 5/5/2023

ACR Joins Letter to House Original Co-Sponsors of the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act Thanking them for the Legislation Which Would Apply a Permanent Inflation-Based Update to the MPFS Conversion Factor – 5/3/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Asking Congress to Fund the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs in Fiscal Year 2024 – 4/24/2023

ACR Comments on IRA Drug Price Negotiation Guidance – 4/14/2023

ACR Joins 75+ Health Organizations Urging Congress to Support Permanent Protections for DACA Recipients – 3/21/2023

ACR Responds to the Senate Health, Education, Pension, & Labor Committee (HELP) Request for Information (RFI) on the Healthcare Workforce Shortage – 3/20/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Asking for $60 million for the CDC Arthritis Research Program (additional letter also sent to Senate leadership) – 3/16/2023

ACR Joins AMA Letter Urging Congress to Provide Inflation-Based Physician Payment Updates based on the full Medicare Economic Index (MEI) – 3/15/2023

As a Leading Member of the Regulatory Relief Coalition, ACR Thanks CMS for and Suggests Improvements to the Proposed Electronic Prior Authorization Rule - 3/13/2023

ACR Joins Letter from Ad Hoc Group Recommending $50.924 Billion for NIH’s Foundational Work (a $3.465 billion increase) in FY2024 – 3/13/2023

ACR Joins Letter Thanking Congressional Champions for Reintroducing the “Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act” to Combat Medical Student Loan Debt – 3/9/2023

ACR Joins Coalition Letter Asking Congress for $732 million for NIAMS within the NIH in the FY2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bills – 3/3/2023

ACR Joins Safe Step Coalition in Providing Information to CMS Related to the Use of Step Therapy in plans that Provide Essential Health Benefits (EHB) – 1/31/2023

ACR Urges CMS to Revisit Copay Assistance Policy in Benefit of Payment and Parameters Proposed Rule – 1/25/2023

ACR Joins 103 Other Organizations to Urge the New Congress to Reform the Medicare Payment System – 1/23/2023

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