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ADVOCACY UPDATE - Attending the ACC Legislative Conference in Washington, DC

ACC Advocacy works with Congress, state legislators, federal agencies, commercial insurers and other key decision-makers to advance the ACC’s Mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health for all. Through legislative and regulatory action, we can make a difference in increasing access to cardiovascular care and improving the quality and value of patient care.

Our advocacy efforts are focused in four core areas – Congressional Affairs, State Government Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Payer & Care Delivery Policy – and are driven by the following overarching policy priorities:

ACC’s signature Legislative Conference is our biggest advocacy event of the year! Members from across the nation convene in Washington, DC, to hear from ACC staff, leaders and other experts on health policy issues. On the final day of the conference, attendees head up to Capitol Hill to meet with their legislators and share stories related to ACC’s policy priorities to help Congress understand the impact their legislative decisions have on the future of cardiovascular care.

Second year FIT at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Priscilla Ababio MD shares her experience of attending the ACC Legislative Conference at Washington DC with a travel grant from the MO ACC chapter. 

On June 11, 2023, I received an email from the ACC Missouri chapter indicating their willingness to sponsor two fellows from Missouri to attend the 2024 ACC Legislative Conference in DC from September 29th to October 1st.

That was the first time I had heard of the ACC Legislative Conference. Out of curiosity, I applied for the scholarship. Thankfully, I was awarded the scholarship. 

I must admit the conference exceeded my expectations right from the start. I learned about women entrepreneurship during the Women in Cardiology session and had the opportunity to make connections beyond the conference.

Most importantly, I learned about the business of cardiology and its impact on patient care. I also familiarized myself with how negotiations are conducted on Capitol Hill, and the role of lobbyists in advocating for healthcare bills. I participated in the Capitol Hill visit, where we met various senators and members of Congress from Missouri. I learned the art of effective communication when interacting with legislators.

I was pleased to hear of the extension of some bills, including telehealth bills, as a result of our efforts, although unfortunately, the Medicare reimbursement cuts still went into effect.

The icing on the cake was learning about the various ACC chapters making impacts in their states through negotiations with their legislators. The one that struck me was the ACC chapter in Maryland, which worked tirelessly with their legislators to implement bills limiting the scope of non-compete clauses in physician contracts.

It was a fulfilling experience, and I would encourage all fellows in training to attend the conference whenever the opportunity presents itself.