By Kurt Woock
In February, a group of radiologists went to Washington, DC, to give lawmakers a clearer picture of radiology. The American College of Radiology (ACR) identified leaders who play a significant role in shaping health policy and then found leading radiologists from the lawmakers’ states to meet with them.
“This is a targeted grassroots lobbying campaign,” said Chris Sherin, director of congressional affairs for ACR. The organization adopted this strategy after multiple government crises threatened further cuts to radiology. “Entitlement spending is supposed to be a major component of that. Unfortunately, that has been disguised as simply provider cuts. Imaging has been at the forefront of that.”
Chris Sherin, Director of Congressional Affairs for ACR
Radiologists do make their presence known in DC, mainly at the ACR’s annual meeting, but this method is different. “We do have our large Capitol Hill fly-in in May,” Sherin said. “It really feels like you’re storming the Hill. However, on Capitol Hill, sometimes the sustained drumbeat of grassroots advocacy is really what you need to protect yourselves or get your bill fully enacted.” The targeted effort included staffers from Ohio, Nevada, Kentucky, Michigan, and New York.
Each meeting had a three-pronged approach. First, the discussion focused on the fiscal cliff and its effect on radiology, which Sherin said many lawmakers might not be aware of. “We exposed them to the fact that there were no data in support of [the utilization rate] policy. That’s really been a microcosm of the approximately 12 cuts through either legislation or regulation that our specialty has endured since 2006.”
Second, the discussion focused on blocking further implementation of the professional component of the multiple procedure payment reduction. Third, the radiologists discussed utilization management. “If we can incentivize referring physicians to use appropriateness criteria, we think it’s a better solution to curb inappropriate uses of imaging rather than focusing on these arbitrary cuts that have largely affected radiology,” Sherin said.
In a political system designed to move deliberately, even slowly, and a stalemate culture that has slowed things down even more, these meetings won’t spur lawmakers to suddenly reverse course. But sending in radiologists to lobby for themselves sends a particular type of message. Radiologists can describe their situation from the inside out — “they are in the trenches,” said Sherin. The radiologists also come as constituents. When pushing for an issue—any issue—remembering the Washington maxim “all politics is local” is frequently a better option than a broader approach.
Sherin hopes the radiologists who participated stay in contact with those they meet.
“As the lawmaking process continues, we hope that these individuals who came will be our local points of contact. We’re trying to put a face with the issue.”
Sherin said other radiologists can contact their representatives, too. He said e-mail is the most effective way outside of face-to-face. ACR also has online tools on its website.
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Who Met With Whom
Ohio: Linda Reilman, MD, met with House Speaker John Boehner (R)
Nevada: Ross Golding, MD, met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D)
Michigan: Peter Peer, MD, met with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R)
Kentucky: Bruce Burton, MD, met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R)
New York: Geraldine McGinty, MD, met with Senator Charles Schumer (D)
