eyePAC

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eyePAC is an effective voice for ophthalmology and an important investment in your future.

eyePAC is the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery’s (ASCRS) voluntary, non-partisan Political Action Committee. It helps ASCRS members participate in the election process by contributing to key members of the House of Representatives and the Senate who show strong support for the physician community, especially the concerns of ophthalmic surgeons and their patients.

Committed to the wise and efficient use of its contributors’ dollars, eyePAC coordinates major contributions to key congressional campaigns with the appropriate grassroots eyeContact members in the district/state.

Your contribution will help to convey ophthalmology’s perspective to members of Congress on the following key legislative issues:

Repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Formula:

• In order to assure continued Medicare beneficiary access to high quality care, Medicare’s SGR formula needs to be repealed and replaced with a stable mechanism for updating Medicare fees.  If Congress does not act now, physicians will face a 26.5% reduction on January 1, 2013.  Congress must avoid short-term patches this year and establish a new baseline for physician reimbursement by:
  
  • Creating a clearly defined transition period over several years that will include statutory updates while new payment models are being tested and keep up to date with rising practice costs;
  • Recognizing reasonable inflationary cost increases that lead to fair reimbursement for the services provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

Create a Viable Option for Physicians and Patients to Privately Contract

• Allow for a patient's right to obtain medical services from the physician of his/her choice by adopting additional Medicare payment options in conjunction with a new payment system.  We're asking Congress to support legislation that allows for this option , the (Medicare Patient Empowerment Act H.R. 1700/S. 1042).

Repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB):

• ASCRS opposed the creation of the IPAB, a board that is made up of 15 unelected, unaccountable members appointed by the President and is required to make recommendations to Congress on how to lower costs to the Medicare program. Therefore, ASCRS supports legislation to repeal IPAB that was introduced in the House by Congressman Philip Roe (R-TN), the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011 (H.R. 452), and in the Senate by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act (S. 668).

Click here to visit the ASCRS Grassroots Advocacy Website and take action on pending issues.