Leadership and Advocacy Conference: Our 2022 Advocacy Issues

ACEP Leadership & Advocacy Conference - 2022 Issues

The pandemic has shown the nation the importance of a strong health care safety net and highlights the need to strengthen the policies that protect and empower physicians at work. Congress has an opportunity to strengthen laws that impact emergency physicians’ financial security, legal rights, and personal safety, but they need to hear directly from physicians on the frontlines.

The 2022 Leadership and Advocacy Conference (LAC) will focus on protecting individual emergency physicians on the job. Emergency physicians at all career levels will gather in the nation’s capital to meet with legislators about:

Protecting Emergency Physicians from ED Violence

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Violence in the emergency department is a serious, and unfortunately, growing concern that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the immediate physical threat to emergency physicians and other ED personnel, it causes significant stress for health care providers and patients seeking treatment in the ED and contributes to job dissatisfaction and burnout. As Congress has looked at ways to address broader issues of increased violence in our communities, we ask legislators to establish important, common sense procedures to protect emergency physicians, health care workers, and patients from violence in the health care workplace.

Issue Paper

Medicare Physician Payment Reforms

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We appreciate Congress’ efforts over the past few years to mitigate the majority of scheduled cuts to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), but systemic issues continue to create significant instability for emergency physicians. These substantial challenges include the flawed “budget neutrality” requirements in the PFS, the lack of an annual inflationary update, and the inability for EPs and other clinicians to meaningfully participate in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act’s (MACRA) Quality Payment Program (QPP). We ask Congress to begin formal proceedings to discuss potential reforms to Medicare physician payment.

Issue Paper

Emergency Physician Due Process Protections

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The best interests of patients are served when emergency physicians practice in a fair, equitable, and supportive environment. However, the threat of termination or the actual termination of physicians without the right of a fair hearing prevents emergency physicians from fully advocating for their patients for fear of retribution. All emergency physicians – regardless of employment or contract arrangement – should have medical staff due process rights and access to a fair due process procedure.

Issue Paper

What to Expect at LAC

Hear from high profile government and Congressional speakers:
- Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH)
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
- Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Interact directly with legislators during NEMPAC-hosted events:
- Rep. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN)
- Rep. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA)
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Sharpen your advocacy skills and take steps to influence the initiatives that will shape the practice for years to come.
Join colleagues for the Health Policy Primer sponsored by EMRA, and The Leadership Summit, where emergency physicians will address burnout, ED violence, and scope of practice battles in the states.
Participate in comprehensive advocacy and issue training is available to help prepare physicians for visits with legislators on Capitol Hill.

National Emergency Medicine PAC (NEMPAC)

ACEP’s political action committee, NEMPAC, helps the College promote our legislative goals and express concerns shared by emergency physicians to Members of Congress. Through NEMPAC, ACEP members can financially support the election or re-election of federal candidates and build relationships with Congress, who can champion bipartisan solutions.

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