AAOS Advocacy in Action

AAOS-Supported Lorna Breen Bill Signed into Law

On March 18, President Biden signed the AAOS-supported Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (H.R. 1667) into law. Earlier this month, AAOS also joined with other health care organizations to thank congressional sponsors of the legislation for its successful passage The bill is named after Lorna Breen, MD, an emergency physician at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital in New York City who died by suicide in April 2020. The legislation will provide funds to help reduce and prevent mental and behavioral health conditions, suicide, and burnout, as well as increase access to evidence-based treatment for physicians, medical students, and other health care professionals. AAOS worked to garner support for the legislation during Orthopaedic Advocacy Week and through the AAOS Advocacy Action Center, resulting in 32 additional cosponsors. It was also featured as the topic of episode 21 on the AAOS Advocacy Podcast which can be heard here.  Learn more on AAOS Advocacy…

President Biden signed the Dr. Lorna Breen Provider Protection Act into law on March 18, 2022. Also pictured: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. Susan Wild, Rep. Judy Chu, Chairman Frank Pallone, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Senator Tim Kaine, and the family of Dr Lorna Breen

Healthcare Policy News

FDA Announces 2023 Budget and MDUFA V Commitment Letter

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its formal budget request this week as part of the broader Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 HHS budget. With a total request of $8.4 billion in funding, the budget focuses on several key areas including $83 million for data modernization and emerging technologies, $6 million for medical device shortages and security, and $38 million for opioid response initiatives. The Biden Administration is also requesting $82 billion for pandemic preparedness that will reach across all HHS agencies, including the FDA. In addition to the priorities outlined by this funding request, the FDA and industry stakeholders just released their agreement on the Medical Device User Fee Amendments (MDUFA V) 2023. After over a year of negotiations, which were delayed by the pandemic, industry stakeholders and the FDA have reached an agreement on the fifth reauthorization of the user fee program. Now that the commitment letter has been signed, Congress will begin hearings as the next phase of the reauthorization process commences. Read more about MDUFA V and the FDA budget…

OrthoPAC Success at 2022 AAOS Annual Meeting

The Orthopaedic PAC (OrthoPAC) had a successful 2022 AAOS Annual Meeting. AAOS staff and members of the OrthoPAC Executive Committee spoke with hundreds of attendees about the importance of the political program and advocacy, raising over $100,000 during the week for OrthoPAC. At the  OrthoPac Donor Appreciation Luncheon, Charlie Cook, founder of the Cook Political Report, spoke with 2021 and 2022 PAC donors about the upcoming midterm elections, predicting that Republicans will take back the House, and emphasized the need for physicians to get involved in the political process. In addition, Over 150 AAOS fellows and residents gathered for the 6th Annual Resident Reception to celebrate the residency programs with the highest PAC participation in 2021.  Congratulations to the University of Hawaii for achieving 100% resident participation.! Finally, the PAC welcomed a new member to the Advisor’s Circle corporate donor program: New Mexico Orthopaedic Associates (NMOA). NMOA joined the other Advisor’s Circle members for an event with Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a strong supporter of AAOS legislative priorities and whose district includes the AAOS headquarters. Thank you to everyone who visited us at the OrthoPAC booth and made their 2022 contributions.   If you have not yet given this year, you can do so at www.aaos.org/advocacy/pac.

• CMMI: Expect More Value-Based Care Payment Models to Require Health Equity Plans (Robert King, Fierce Healthcare – Payers, March 21, 2022)