make your voice heard: a beginner's guide to lobbying (advocating) to congress for your medical...

Make Your Voice Heard!A Beginner’s Guide to Communicating With the People Who Impact Your Practice

February 27, 2014

What is Advocacy?

• The act of pleading, supporting, or recommending. (dictionary.com)

• Apolitical process by an individual or group which aims to influence public policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, social systems, and institutions. (wikipedia.org)

What Should You Advocate For?

What is affecting your practice?

SGR Repeal (“Doc Fix”)

Telemedicine

ICD-10 Repeal/Delay

Trauma Care

Newborn Screenings

Long Term Care Insurance

Places to Advocate

City Councils

State Legislatures

Congress

Federal Government

U. S. Congress

Congressional Healthcare Committees

U.S. HouseAppropriationsWays and MeansEnergy and Commerce –http://energycommerce.house.gov/

U.S. SenateAppropriationsFinance

HELP -http://www.help.senate.gov/

Know the Healthcare Professionals in the House

NURSES IN THE HOUSE

Diane Black R TN

Karen Bass D CA

Ann Buerkle R NY

Lois Capps R CA

Renee Ellmers D NC

Berniece Johnson D TX

Carolyn McCarthy D NY

Know the Healthcare Professionals in the House

PHYSICIANS IN THE HOUSE

Donna Christensen D VI Emergency Med.

Ami Bera D CA Internal Medicine

Jim McDermott D WA Psychiatry

Charles Boustany R LA Cardiothoracic Surg.

Paul Broun R GA Family Practice

Larry Buschon R IN Thoracic Surgery

Michael Burgess R TX OB/GYN

Bill Cassidy R LA Gastroenterology

Know the Healthcare Professionals in the House

PHYSICIANS IN THE HOUSE

Dan Benishek R MI General Surgery

Scott Desjarlais R TN Family Practice

John Fleming R LA Family Practice

Phil Gingrey R GA OB/GYN

Andy Harris R MD Anesthesiology

Nan Hayworth R NY Ophthalmology

Joe Heck R NV Emergency Med.

Tom Price R GA Orthopedic Surg.

Phil Roe R TN OB/GYN

Know the Healthcare Professionals in the Senate

Tom Coburn, MDFamily Practice(R-OK) John Barrasso, MD

Orthopedic Surgeon(R-WY) Rand

Paul, MD Ophthalmologist(R-KY)

Anatomy of aCongressionalOffice

Chief of Staff Legislative Director Legislative Assistants Legislative Correspondents Communication Director Staff Assistants

Anatomy of a Congressional Committee

Each committee has different staff position titles. Most common titles for all committees are: Staff Director, Legislative Director, Chief Counsel, Communications Director, Clerk, Director of IT

Example - U.S. Senate HELP Committee

Staff Director for Health

Director of Health Policy

Health Counsel

Professional Staff

Research Assistant

Staff Assistant

Key Staffers – People to Advocate

In the Congressional OfficeLegislative Assistants – draft small bills, resolutions, amendments. Have ear of the person (representative or senator) they work for.

In the Congressional CommitteeResearch Assistant/ Professional Staff - draft legislation, amendments. Have ear of the Committee members.

The Advocacy Process

1. Identify your issue

2. Research your issue -does it have any current pending legislation associated with it?

3. Contact Congress

Committee websites-Energy and Commerce –

http://energycommerce.house.gov/

-HELP -http://www.help.senate.gov/

Professional organizations-AMA, MGMA, ACHE-Professional Societies

Congress.gov

Identifying Issues

The Advocacy Process – Research

The Advocacy Process – Research

The Advocacy Process – Research

The Advocacy Process – Contacting Congress

http://www.opencongress.org/people/zipcodelookup

Step 1- Write letter and an e-mail to your congressman/senator. Wait 1-2 weeks for a response.

Step 2- Call the office of your congressman/senator. The person who answers is a staff assistant. Tell the staff assistant you wish for congressman/senator to support or not support a certain piece of legislation.

The Advocacy Process –Contacting Congress

Step 3- Ask to have the voicemail of the legislative assistant who handles health policy. Be polite! When legislative assistant replies back to you, ask to set up a time to further speak with them.

Step 4- When meeting with legislative assistant, get very specific about your issue.

The Advocacy Process –Contacting Congress

Step 5- If there is legislation regarding your issue, encourage legislative assistant to have congressman/senator support it. If no legislation, encourage legislative assistant to have congressman/senator introduce legislation on your issue.

Step 6- Thank legislative assistant for their time. Hand write or e-mail a thank you letter.

Successful Advocacy Example

QUESTIONS?

For More Information:

Mary Pat Whaley, FACMPE, CPC

Manage My Practice

http://www.managemypractice.com

Email: marypat@managemypractice.com

(919) 370.0504

Matthew D. Taber, MS

Medical Access Corporation of America

http://www.medicalaccessusa.com/

E-mail: mdtaber@me.com

(615) 669.8347