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AGA to advocate for increased NIH funding
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Physician members of the American Gastroenterological Association were scheduled to travel to Capitol Hill today to address Congress about increasing barriers to lifesaving patient care, medical innovation, research funding and training for next-generation physicians in gastroenterology, according to a press release.
“Millions of Americans are affected by gastroenterological disorders — there are 72 million doctor visits for digestive diseases each year,” Anil K. Rustgi, MD, AGAF, chair of the AGA, said in the release. “AGA members will tell lawmakers that patients need support for research focused on improving care, and physicians need relief from increasing regulatory burdens that interfere with our ability to help patients maintain or regain their digestive health.”
Anil K. Rustgi
AGA members planned to advocate for increased NIH funding of $32 billion for fiscal year 2015.
“This figure represents the minimum investment necessary to avoid further loss of promising research and to allow the NIH budget to keep pace with inflation,” Rustgi said.
Besides boosting NIH funding, the AGA’s advocacy for issues facing gastroenterologists include “ensuring fair reimbursement for GI procedures, reforming the Medicare payment system, reducing regulatory burdens and eliminating colonoscopy cost sharing,” the release said.
During their visit, AGA members were to “call upon CMS to delay final review of upper endoscopy codes and interim final review of lower endoscopy codes until CMS issues concerning moderate sedation and intensity of service are more fully considered using the new transparency process proposed by CMS,” John. I. Allen,MD, MBA, AGAF, and president of the AGA Institute, said in the release.
“It is especially disheartening to know that CMS is proposing to once again allow endoscopic services to be considered without adequate transparency,” he said. “This time, this opaque process concerns our colonoscopy codes, a procedure that has resulted in a reduction in colon cancer burden for this country that has been dramatic and well documented.”