324 emergency physicians from 44 states participated in 273 virtual meetings with federal legislators and/or their healthcare staff on Tuesday, July 27 during the ACEP 2021 Leadership and Advocacy Conference (LAC) in Washington, DC. We thank those who could not be with us in DC for joining us virtually!
ME ACEP meets with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)AZ delegation prepares for meetings
After battling the COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year, emergency physicians came together to share their unique and vital perspective with Congress on three of the most pressing issues facing emergency medicine and patients.
Facilitating access to buprenorphine and decreasing the stigma associated with OUD treatment are critical steps forward in treating opioid use disorder. The bipartisan, bicameral "Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act" (H.R. 1384/S. 445) removes the "X-waiver" requirement that a health care practitioner must apply for a separate waiver through the DEA to dispense certain narcotic drugs (including buprenorphine) in Schedule III, IV, and V of the Controlled Substances Act for maintenance or detoxification treatment. This bill essentially removes federal barriers to prescribing buprenorphine and treats it like any other essential medication.
COVID-19 is an unprecedented modern public health crisis, and beyond the loss of life, it also has taken a toll on the mental health and well-being of those who have been selflessly providing care over the past year. For most physicians and other clinicians, seeking treatment for mental health sparks legitimate fear of resultant loss of licensure, loss of income, or other career setbacks due to ongoing stigma. Such fears have deterred them from accessing necessary mental health care, leaving many with no better option than to suffer in silence. Physician mental health is essential to ensuring that patients have a strong and capable heath care workforce to provide the care they need. To address these issues, participants urged Congress to pass the "Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act" (S.610/H.R. 1667).
Without congressional action, emergency physicians and other physician specialties will see major cuts to Medicare payments, which will ultimately endanger access to the lifesaving care that patients need and deserve. ACEP urges lawmakers to protect patient access to lifesaving emergency care and to take action before the end of the year to prevent significant cuts to Medicare payments due to sequestration and Medicare's "budget neutrality" requirements.
Dr. Heine is recognized for his long-standing commitment to advocacy on behalf of emergency medicine and patients and his ability to encourage and recruit ACEP member and resident advocates in both WA state and AK. As chair of the ACEP Federal Government Affairs Committee from 2018-2020, his leadership was instrumental in prioritizing ACEP's legislative agenda and guiding critical policy-making decisions when ACEP's advocacy pivoted to COVID-19 and virtual efforts.
2021: Angela Gardner, MD, FACEP
In a year in which strong advocacy for emergency medicine and patients was more important than ever, Dr. Gardner led the challenge of pivoting to virtual engagement for both political and grassroots communication with legislators. Her work in educating new candidates and engaging with veteran Senate and House leaders on issues of importance to emergency medicine, such as COVID-19 relief, surprise medical billing and mental health resources for health care workers, became the gold standard. Dr. Gardner is also recognized for her continued thoughtful participation and guidance to both the NEMPAC Board of Trustees and the ACEP Federal Government Affairs Committee.
The Board of Trustees of NEMPAC celebrated VIP donors at the NEMPAC Reception in the Hotel Grand Hyatt Foyer on Monday, July 26.
NEMPAC raised over $40,000 in conjunction with the conference to support bipartisan candidates in the 2022 congressional elections.
NEMPAC arranged for the participation of many conference attendees at in-person events during LAC21. Over 70 registrants attended congressional dine-around events/fundraisers coordinated by NEMPAC. These events provided the opportunity to interact with an additional 22 legislators.
NEMPAC hosted five "dine-around" fundraising events for members of Congress as an opportunity to interact with key legislators in a small group and show support for their re-election campaigns with NEMPAC funds and personal funds of the attendees. Legislators included: Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA-36), Rep. John Katko (R-NY-24), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Rep. Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH-02), Future Forum PAC Chair, Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL-09), Co-chair, Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-07), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS-03), Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02), Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07), and Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX-32).
Due to NEMPAC's support, ACEP members attended six additional virtual and in-person fundraising events during the LAC21 meeting: Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL), Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY-06), Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH-10), Rep. John Joyce (R-PA-13), and Rep. Bill Timmons (R-SC-04).
CO ACEP members at a fundraiser for Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
On Thursday, the ACEP-supported "Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Reauthorization Act of 2021" was introduced in the House and Senate. The bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the successful ALTO program established in 2018 by the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (P.L. 115-271), extending the program through 2026. Last year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided $4.75 million in ALTO grants to ten hospitals and emergency departments throughout the country. ALTO also recently received a $3 million increase in funding in the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (L/HHS) appropriations bill that passed the House just this week.
The ALTO program is based on the opioid-alternative protocols for pain treatment in the emergency department originally developed by ACEP President Mark Rosenberg, DO, MBA, FACEP, and the federal grants have helped other emergency departments across the country implement their own ALTO programs. Especially given the recent data showing a record 93,000 overdose deaths in 2020, preventing substance use disorders before they start or providing early interventions through the ED is more important than ever.
Dr. Rosenberg was also featured in the press release issued by the legislators: "Emergency physicians on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic can attest firsthand to the proven success of the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) program," said Mark Rosenberg, DO, MBA, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "As our communities and families confront the challenge of opioid use disorder (OUD), the bipartisan ALTO in the Emergency Department Reauthorization Act of 2021 will better equip us with the tools we need to help our patients and communities struggling with opioid use disorders-and most importantly-prevent OUD before it even starts. Personally, I am proud and grateful to continue working with my friends, Representative Pascrell and Senator Booker, to reauthorize this lifesaving program that we originally began right here in New Jersey, and also thank Representative McKinley and Senator Capito for their continued bipartisan leadership on this bill. On behalf of ACEP, I extend our deepest thanks for their tireless efforts to ensure that more Americans have access to the appropriate care they need and deserve."
The legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), David McKinley (R-WV), Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH). In the Senate, the bill was introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
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