Advocacy efforts and key issues in rheumatology

Dr. Christina Downey, the chair of ACR's Government Affairs Committee, discusses the advocacy year in review and current issues in rheumatology at the ACR Convergence 2023. The Government Affairs Committee focuses on improving drug pricing, addressing workforce shortages, and mitigating burnout among rheumatologists. They create position policy statements based on member feedback to guide their advocacy efforts. Specific challenges include the lack of transparency in drug pricing, the impact of pharmacy benefit managers on costs, and Medicare reimbursement cuts. The ACR's efforts involve lobbying for legislation to increase transparency surrounding pharmacy benefit managers, advocating for increased research funding, and pushing for Medicare reimbursement tied to inflation.