Category: ASA pac

Political lobbyists, anesthesiology and you.

2011 was quite the year in Washington politics.  This type of bickering amongst the political parties has likely existed since the beginning of politics.  Last year this was made particularly poignant when a lack of agreement on budget issues led to a downgrade of the the U.S. credit rating from great to…not so much.  The Anesthesia Blog has tried, unsuccessfully for the most part, to stay above the fray and just blog about what we see.  Everyone wants their voice heard in a democracy and unfortunately (or fortunately depending who you are) those holding the largest money bags get heard the most.  This came across our collective inbox the other day:

ASAPAC Remains America’s #1 Physician PAC
On January 31, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) released the filing results for calendar year 2011. According to these filings, the ASAPAC out-raised all other physician PACs, solidifying ASAPAC’s position as America’s largest physician PAC for the third year in a row. ASAPAC raised a total of $1.67 million in calendar year 2011, a new calendar year record for anesthesiologists’ political fund.

Jeff Mueller, M.D., Chair, ASAPAC Executive Board said Wednesday, “2011 continues to be a banner year for ASAPAC. The continued effective leadership of ASAPAC Representatives and members led ASAPAC to once again be the top physician health care PAC in America. As we start our 2012 effort; let’s make it another record year for America’s largest physician PAC and continue to raise anesthesiology’s voice during this formative election.”

Just to put this in perspective we scoured the Federal Election Committee website to find a frame of reference for our readers:

  • American Association of Nurse Anesthetist’s CRNA-PAC raised $776,256
  • American Medical Association’s AMA-PAC raised $943,715
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeon’s PLASTY-PAC raised $144,658
  • American Academy of Opthamology’s OPHTC-PAC raised $594,123
  • National Association of Realtor’s PAC raised $4,001,698

Take from the above what you may.  Comments are open for this post.

Image: scottchan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Feb 14, 2012 | 0 comments View Post

The public option and anesthesia.

The public option has been one of the most contentious issues regarding the health care debate. The results of the The Anesthesia Blog poll indicate a willing acceptance of it into our health care system just as long as the rates aren’t tied to the pitifully low Medicare rates.

Medicare rates in what may be the predominate payer over the next few years means the end of days for anesthesia. See ASA president Roger Moore’s farewell letter in which he summarizes the salient points here.
The next logical question is then, why are the Medicare rates for anesthesia so friggin bad, and why haven’t we been able to do anything about it? Get involved fellow anesthesia peoples! ASA-PAC.

Oct 08, 2009 | 0 comments View Post

Those who can do, and teach, can now get paid.

Score one for the ASA and the lobbyists!! Yay politics!

After many years of wrangling and debate a new bill passed in July which:

  • Blocks Medicare payment cuts for 18 months
  • Restores full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs .
  • Extends the 1.0 floor on the work GPCI through December 31, 2009.
  • Increases the PQRI bonus to 2.0% for 2009 and 2010 for physicians who choose to participate in the program.

Of particular note is the repeal of the “teaching tax” which slashed in half payment to teaching anesthesiologists who work with two residents on cases that overlap—even for a minute.

This misguided policy, in place since 1994, costs programs hundreds of thousands of dollars every year—hindering efforts to recruit and retain high-caliber teaching anesthesiologists, and ultimately weakening programs. Yay lobbyists!

Full article here.

Aug 19, 2008 | 0 comments View Post