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| ACEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| The following accomplishments highlight the important role ACEP plays in representing the interests of the individual emergency physicians. |
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| Supported legislation passed by the House and Senate to stop a scheduled 4.4 percent cut to physician Medicare payments. |
- Lobbying for legislative action to correct the flawed formula used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to set physician Medicare payment rates
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| Led the successful effort to overturn a CMS directive allowing states to limit the number of ED visits made by Medicaid recipients. |
- Informed media of CMS action and its consequences
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- Provided information to Senate leaders
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- Brought together a coalition of hospital and physician groups to lobby against directive
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- Lobbied Bush administration officials
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| Continuing to work for medical liability reform. |
- Lobbied for passage of the HEALTH Act
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- Implemented nationwide campaign publicizing effects of crisis on emergency medicine
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- Supporting President Bush’s call for liability reform
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- ACEP Board members agreed not to provide expert witness testimony
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- Promoting ACEP policy on expert witness qualifications
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| Addressing emergency medicine's concerns about smallpox vaccination policy to the Department of Health and Human Services and White House. |
- Representing EM position to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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- Provided CDC educational resources to ACEP members
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- Developed and implemented smallpox vaccination policy
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| Continue to work for solutions to overcrowding crisis. |
- Developing policy paper with Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
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- Co-sponsoring symposium with JCAHO seeking solutions
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- Issued joint advisory with the American Hospital Association detailing immediate strategies to help ease overcrowding
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- Initiated series of meetings in Washington, DC with the JCAHO, AMA, and the American Public Health Association to develop strategies
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| Developed educational materials to clarify the significant changes included in new teaching physician documentation guidelines. |
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| Identified problem and worked with CMS to clarify Medicare rules involving non-physician providers. |
- Rules eventually changed to make it easier for physicians to bill for those services
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Representing emergency medicine on CPT task force that is developing a new methodology to eliminate the need for documentation guidelines. |
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