Advocacy & Practice Updates — Advocacy & Practice
ASRS Members Take to the Hill; Advocate for Access to Specialty Care
This week, retina specialist and practice administrator members of ASRS joined with colleagues across specialty medicine to travel to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC to advocate directly to legislators on behalf of their profession and patients. Held annually, the Alliance of Specialty Medicine Advocacy Conference brings physicians and administrators from member organizations, of which ASRS is one, to speak to lawmakers with a shared voice about the importance of patient access to specialty care.
During meetings with Congress, participants pressed to reduce barriers to care and emphasized the need to support the sustainability of specialty practices. Priorities included passage of the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3514/S. 1816), which recently advanced through the House Ways and Means Committee and would streamline prior authorization in Medicare Advantage, as well as reforms to the Medicare physician fee schedule, including changes to budget neutrality and an inflationary update, to improve payment stability and help practices keep pace with rising costs.
“Each year, this conference is a good reminder of why physician advocacy matters so much for our patients,” said ASRS Federal Affairs Committee Chair Odette Houghton, MD, FASRS. “It’s always a worthwhile and collegial experience. Being able to meet directly with lawmakers and talk through the real-world challenges we see in practice, especially around patient access to specialty care, helps move those conversations toward practical solutions. Walking the halls of Congress with other specialists, all committed to making things better for their patients and colleagues, reminds us why we all went into medicine in the first place. I’d encourage any ASRS member who’s interested to get involved, whether at the national or local level.”
"I wasn't fully aware of the scale of the policymaking process until I came here. It's been incredibly gratifying to work alongside my colleagues, because our strength is in our numbers and our ability to affect change together,” said first-time attendee and practice administrator Heather Thomas. “It wasn't until I was here that I truly understood how complex these issues are. Now I can go back home and think about ways that I can help affect change on behalf of our patients."
Members who were unable to attend can still support these efforts. Amplify your colleagues’ voice by sending an instant, pre-written message to your legislators now asking for payment stability in the Medicare physician fee schedule. Click here now to send a message.
(Published 7.22.26)