Health Policy Updates

The Society’s legislative committee develops and promotes the Society’s positions on issues impacting breast surgeons and their patients. Through legislative advocacy, engaging with officials at regulatory agencies and coalition-building, the Society works on behalf of our members to ensure key issues impacting breast surgeons are brought to legislative and regulatory decision makers.

Key Issues

Appropriate reimbursement for surgical services

The Medicare physician payment system must be improved to guarantee reasonable and consistent reimbursement for surgical services. Due to a combination of factors, surgeons have faced annual proposed cuts in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that must be averted by Congress at the last minute. This is not a sustainable system. ASBrS will continue to push for long-term reform of Medicare reimbursement, while ensuring that Congress steps in as needed to avert immediate reductions.

Meaningful liability reform

While States can enact meaningful legislative reforms of medical malpractice law, ASBrS is committed to fixing the medical liability system at the federal level by adopting innovative solutions that ensure liability protections for physicians who follow evidence-based practice guidelines established by their specialties or for physicians who provide volunteer services in emergency situations. This approach would protect the rights of patients harmed by truly negligent acts while also protecting the rights of physicians practicing evidence-based medicine.

Promoting initiatives designed to optimize quality care for all patients

Federal agencies continue to change the quality and cost reporting requirements with implications for reporting burden and payments. The evolving landscape has created challenges in ensuring that Medicare pay-for-performance programs base payment updates on measures that matter in the care of breast surgery patients and reflect the value of care provided for our patients.

Promoting graduate medical education

For the most part, federal support for GME has been frozen since 1997, even though the country’s need for physicians has only increased. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, enacted in December 2020, Congress provided funding for 1,000 new Medicare-supported residency slots. Although the 1,000 new slots are a start, they will not remedy our physician shortage. ASBrS continues to work with other stakeholders to support GME legislation when it is introduced and to try to leverage every major legislative vehicle to include funding for additional residency slots.

How We Work for You

Twice a year, ASBrS holds an advocacy day in which surgeons can participate. Our most recent Hill-day was held on September 29, 2022. ASBrS leaders met with congressional staff to highlight our Medicare Physician Fee Schedule reimbursement challenges. Additionally, ASBrS has engaged in the following outreach.