Category: ACR

The following is a press release issued by ACR on March 25, 2024:

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) today expressed strong support for several key measures included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget. The budget allocates crucial funding to the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) for research on arthritis risks, outcomes, and treatments among service members; secures a significant funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the cornerstone of medical research in the United States; and extends the Conrad 30 program. This program allows foreign-trained physicians to seamlessly enter the United States healthcare workforce after residency completion.

“The ACR applauds Congress for including provisions in the budget that prioritize the future of rheumatology. This budget recognizes the critical need for both a stronger physician workforce and continued research funding for arthritis and rheumatic diseases, ultimately benefiting millions of patients,” said Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, president of the ACR.

The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 delivers a win for veterans and active-duty service members. The act allocates $10 million in the CDMRP for needed arthritis-related research among those who serve our nation. This targeted funding is crucial considering the alarming statistic that one in three veterans is battling arthritis, making it the second leading cause of medical discharge from the Army. By supporting research in this area, the CDMRP benefits veterans and service members and contributes to a broader understanding of rheumatic diseases.

This package also secures a notable funding boost for the NIH, reversing earlier proposals for deep cuts. Importantly, it protects funding for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which plays an important role in ongoing public health battles. This robust NIH funding ensures continued progress in critical medical research, including advancements in treatments and prevention strategies for rheumatic diseases.

The final spending bill also includes an extension of the Conrad 30 program, which allows U.S.-educated and trained physicians with a J-1 visa to enter the American medical workforce upon the completion of their residency. This delivers a much-needed boost to the American medical workforce given the current physician shortage. Typically, J-1 visa-holders training in the U.S. must return to their home country for two years after their program ends before they can apply for a work visa or green card to work in America. Each Conrad 30 waiver translates directly to a physician serving patients in underserved communities, for at least three years, who might otherwise face limited access to care.

“This budget represents a major victory for the 53.2 million Americans living with physician-diagnosed rheumatic conditions,” said Desir. “Including these vital programs promises to unlock significant patient care and research advancements in the coming years. We eagerly await the positive impact this will have on millions of lives.”

The following is a press release issued on January 17, 2024:

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), on behalf of over 7,900 rheumatologists and rheumatology professional team members, applauds the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for finalizing its Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes for Medicare Advantage Organizations rule recently.

“Prior authorization policies create significant undue burdens on patients and healthcare professionals and often result in significant delays to needed care, treatment abandonment, and irreversible harm to patients’ health,” said Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, president of ACR. “The ACR commends CMS for recognizing the negative impact of prior authorization on patients and the need to streamline the process to promote greater transparency between doctors’ offices and payers.”

Specifically, the rule would reduce the decision time to 24 hours for urgent requests and seven days for non-urgent requests. The rule also requires payers to provide the reason for prior authorization denials, creating greater transparency and establishing a more streamlined practice for resubmissions and appeals.

However, the ACR is concerned with the inclusion of e-prior authorization measures for merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS)-eligible providers under the performance improvement (PI) category as it will create additional burden for physicians.

While this final rule addresses many concerns about the use of utilization management tools, the ACR continues to urge Congress to pass the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (S. 3018/H.R. 3173) to statutorily address prior authorization issues in Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans.

“The ACR welcomes the opportunity to be a part of this discussion as policymakers work to ensure these programs are implemented in a way that streamlines patient care and minimizes administrative burden on physicians,” Desir concluded.

The following is a press release issued by the ACR on December 14, 2023:

Full title: ACR Applauds Lawmakers for First-Time Dedicated Arthritis Research Funds in the National Defense Authorization Act

Today, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) celebrates the first new medical research line item in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) in eight years for arthritis research under the Department of Defense’s (DoD) C recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024.

“Investment in arthritis research will not only benefit those serving in our armed forces, but also the thousands of Americans, including many veterans, living with arthritis,” said Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, president of the American College of Rheumatology. “Efforts from this program will not only help curb the costs associated with managing and treating this disease but will also spur innovations and a better understanding of arthritis in the servicemember population.”

Arthritis research has been funded through the DoD’s Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) at varying levels since 2009, but given the many priorities of the PRMRP, funding is not guaranteed. The ACR and Arthritis Foundation have advocated for this CDMRP line item to designate specific funding annually to arthritis research and advance research on arthritis risks, outcomes, and treatments among service members. The ACR thanks House appropriations leaders for recognizing the necessity and value of arthritis research in the DoD with this $10M annual line item for arthritis research.

“We know that one in three veterans are diagnosed with arthritis, and it is the second-leading cause of medical dismissals from the military.  This funding is critical to advancing arthritis research and I’m optimistic that we will see the impact and benefits of this investment for years to come,” Dr. Desir concluded.

The following is a press release issued by the ACR on Nov 14, 2023:

Today, the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP), a division of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), announced the appointment of Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD as the ARP’s  58^th president during ACR Convergence 2023, the ACR’s annual meeting.

“The ARP has been a professional home for me for more than a decade—providing the support, resources and educational value needed to excel in my rheumatology career,” said Ledingham. “To now be trusted to lead this organization and all it does to serve rheumatology health professionals and their patients is a true honor.”

As an ARP member, Ledingham has held various leadership positions including co-chair of the ACR membership & awards committee and chair of the ARP eLearning subcommittee. She has also been a member of the ACR finance and education committees, and the ARP nominations and appointments committee. For the past few years, she has been a member of the ARP executive committee as secretary and president-elect leading up to her appointment as ARP president.

Ledingham earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in pediatric physical therapy from Long Island University, and a doctorate in rehabilitation sciences from Boston University. She is currently a physical therapist clinical scientist working at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her research interest is in the field of knee osteoarthritis, specifically on how to help patients use exercise and physical activity to improve their quality of life.

Ledingham’s term begins this month along with the recently appointed 2023-2024 ARP Executive Committee:

• President Elect – Adam Goode, PT, DPT, PhD
• Secretary – Becki Cleveland, PhD
• Immediate Past President – Kori Dewing, ARNP, DNP
• Practice Committee Chair – Annelle Reed, CPNP, MSN
• eLearning Committee Chair – Adena Batterman, MSW
• ARP AMPC Chair – Priscilla Calvache, MSW, LCSW
• Member-at-Large, Finance – Jillian Rose-Smith, MSW, MPH, PhD
• Member-at-Large – Bharati Bhardwaja, PharmD, BCPS, LSSBB
• Member-at-Large – Yvonne Golightly, PT, MS, PhD
• Committee on Research Liaison – Kaleb Michaud, PhD
• Committee on Government Affairs Liaison – Donald Miller, PharmD, FASHP
• ACR Representative – Sam Lim, MD, MPH

The ARP, which serves more than 1,200 members, exists to equip rheumatology professionals with the tools needed to provide quality care for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. ARP members include nurses, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, physician assistants, physical therapists, pharmacists, practice managers, researchers, social workers and other non-physician professionals in various rheumatology and healthcare settings.

About the Association of Rheumatology Professionals

The Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) is a division of the American College of Rheumatology built by rheumatology professionals, for rheumatology professionals. Our goal is to empower rheumatology professionals by providing education, advocacy, and practice management tools. For more information, visit rheumatology.org/about.  

The following is a press release from the ACR dated August 30, 2023.

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has developed a new whitepaper and position statement that outlines the Clinical and Economic Value of Rheumatology in various hospital and practice settings. The documents emphasize the benefit to the quality of patient care when a rheumatologist is a part of the care team and the positive financial impact rheumatologists have on healthcare systems and the economy.

“Many rheumatologists can attest to the value they bring to the care team at a healthcare system,” said Christina Downey, MD, corresponding author of the white paper and chair of the ACR’s government affairs committee. “Our goal with the paper and position statement is to emphasize what that value looks like from a preventive and financial perspective. A rheumatologist on the care team benefits patients, practices, and the economy.”

The paper, an analysis based on adjusted insurance claims data, focuses on two aspects of economic value: preventive value and direct value. The study compared markets with high and low rheumatologist supply and found that markets with an increased supply of rheumatologists had lower costs per patient. Ultimately, having an appropriate supply of rheumatologists is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes and increasing the economic benefits within healthcare systems.

Highlights from the white paper, and emphasized in the position statement, include:

• Markets with a high supply of rheumatologists had lower average costs per patient for emergency room visits and hospitalizations than those with a low supply.
• Rheumatologists generate $3.5M annually in revenue for healthcare systems by calculating direct and downstream billings associated with a full-time equivalent (FTE) rheumatologist. The calculation includes office visits, lab testing, radiology services, therapy referrals, consultations, etc.
• The preventive value of rheumatology care was estimated to be $2,762 per patient per year, representing the cost savings associated with a high supply of rheumatologists.
• The need for expensive and invasive joint replacement surgery due to rheumatoid arthritis has fallen substantially in recent years because of medications that only rheumatologists have the experience and expertise to administer.
• Appropriate medical therapy with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologics provided by rheumatologists can significantly decrease disease activity, modify comorbidities, and improve the quality of life for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is among the leading causes of death of young women in the United States. They have higher disease activity, morbidity, and mortality, which often leads to one of the highest 30-day hospital readmission rates among chronic diseases in the nation. Access to a rheumatology clinic post-discharge reduces rates of readmission in this group.
• Rheumatologists have developed electronic registries, such as the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE), to nationally track and improve the quality of care administered by rheumatologists. This registry provides timely feedback on the performance of 24 quality metrics like functional status and receipt of DMARD prescriptions for RA patients.

“Emphasizing the impact rheumatologists have on the entire medical community is more important than ever, especially as we contend with an impending rheumatology workforce shortage coupled with an expected increase in patient demand for rheumatologic care” Downey said. “This paper supports our recruitment and sustainability efforts for the specialty by spotlighting the significant contributions we make every day and every year to patient outcomes, hospitals, and other healthcare practices.”

An ACR task force, commissioned by the ACR board of directors, worked with ECG Management Consultants to analyze the value of care given by rheumatologists. ECG has worked with other specialties, such as primary care, to help quantify their economic value.

View the full Clinical and Economic Value of Rheumatology: An Analysis of Market Supply and Utilization in the United States whitepaper and position statement at https://rheumatology.org/policy-position-statements.