Category: press release

The following is a press release issued by the ACR on March 11, 2024:

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) applauds Congress for passing legislation to mitigate the 3.4 percent reduction in physician payments outlined in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule for CY2024 but also calls on policymakers to seek long-term systemic policy changes that will provide more stability and predictability for providers.

“While we commend Congress for this partial fix, rheumatologists remain concerned that without long-term reform to the Medicare payment system, maintaining access to quality care for individuals managing rheumatic diseases and other chronic conditions will be in jeopardy,” remarked Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, President of the American College of Rheumatology. “The annual recurrence of MPFS cuts underscores the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare reforms. The American College of Rheumatology urges Congress to prioritize sustainable solutions, ensuring patient access to essential services and fair reimbursement for healthcare providers.”

The payment cut reduction, from 3.4 percent to 1.68 percent, was included in recently passed broader funding legislation. This reduction comes on top of cumulative cuts that, when adjusted for inflation, amount to an overall decline in Medicare physician payment of 30 percent since 2001, according to the American Medical Association.

As the nation’s leading medical specialty society representing rheumatologists, the ACR remains committed to advocating for policies that prioritize patient well-being and support the needs of rheumatology practices across the country.

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 September 12, 2023.

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) today launched its patient education campaign, Biosimilars & You: A Guide to for Patients with Rheumatic Disease as part of Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM). The campaign aims to help individuals diagnosed with a rheumatic disease better understand what biosimilars are and that these therapies may offer a treatment option as safe and effective as the original biologic they are based upon.

A 2023 survey looking at US patients’ attitudes about biosimilars found that patients expressed a desire to know more about biosimilars in general and specifically about how they compare with original biologics, their benefits, and their cost. The ACR, in consultation with practicing rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals, developed resources, which include a video; an infographic; a patient fact sheet, and additional materials, to meet this need.

“Biosimilars are a class of medications that rheumatologists have long been prescribing in the US and Europe to successfully treat rheumatic conditions,” said Marcus Snow, MD, chair of the ACR Committee on Rheumatologic Care and spokesperson for RDAM 2023. “They go through a very stringent review process with the FDA and are verified to be just as safe as the biologics they are based upon. With so many new biosimilars available this year, we knew patients would have questions and providers would be seeking resources to share with their patients.”

More than 58.5 million American adults have been diagnosed with a rheumatic disease, and an estimated 300,000 children live with some type of juvenile arthritis. Prior to the advent of biosimilar therapies, there has been only one medication healthcare providers could prescribe for their patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, and several other rheumatic diseases over the past decade. With new biosimilars available, the hope is that in addition to more options for treatment, there may also be potential for cost savings for patients. However, this has yet to be determined.

“With more and more biosimilars becoming available, it’s important to note that they are not synonymous with a ‘generic drug’ because they are not identical to the original biologic,” Snow said. “The difference between biosimilars and the original reference biologic compares to the difference between two buildings created from the same blueprints. The buildings will look the same, be the same height and have the same number of rooms and functionality. But they might have different paint colors, doorknobs, or other small differences. However, those differences do not change how the building functions; both have a sound foundation. ”

The ACR aims to be a one-stop shop for patients and their healthcare providers to learn more about biosimilars. View all biosimilar resources from the patient education campaign at www.RDAM.org.