The last few months have seen significant movement across a broad array of issues. Learn more by reading the full December 2023 Advocacy Update.
APA Resources about 2024 Medicare and Telehealth Policy
APA has released several resources for APA members about Medicare coverage and telehealth policy in 2024. Click here to read more.
APA Policy and Practice Insights Series
APA’s Policy and Practice Insight Series keeps interested members informed on policy changes, recent breakthroughs, and impactful insights. Our last session, “Eating Disorders: Early Diagnosis for Better Prognosis — Decision Support and Other Tools” on Dec. 14, 2023, provided psychiatrists and other health professionals with tools to recognize and treat eating disorders. To view this session and previous webinars, click here.
APA Along with Partners Met with OMB Regarding Banning Menthol Cigarettes
On December 4, APA, along with partner medical societies, met with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of Management and Budget, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Health and Human Services to discuss support for the FDA’s menthol cigarette ban and flavored cigar ban. Click here to read more.
APA Supports Provisions in Senate Finance Package
On November 7, APA sent a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee to express support for provisions included in the markup of the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act. In the letter, we endorsed several provisions of the bill, including Section 104, “Medicare Incentives for Behavioral Health Integration with Primary Care.” Click here to read more.
APA Joins MHLG Telehealth Workgroup in Letter to Senate Finance
On November 14, APA joined the Mental Health Liaison Group Telehealth Workgroup in a written statement for the record to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Health Subcommittee to urge the Committee to pass a provision that would permanently remove the telemental health in-person requirement as passed within Section 123 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. This statement was sent to correspond with the Finance Committee’s hearing that day entitled, “Ensuring Medicare Beneficiary Access: A Path to Telehealth Permanency.”
AMA Letter to Avert Medicare Payment Cuts
On November 16, APA joined a letter to the House and Senate leadership urging them to pass legislation to stop another impending round of Medicare payment cuts. Without intervention from Congress, physicians are facing a 3.37 percent payment reduction on January 1, 2024. Click here to read more.
