Russel Petrak, MD, FIDSA, Managing Partner, and Robert Fliegelman, MD with Metro Infectious Disease Consultants, welcomed Congressman Peter Roskam and his staff earlier this month to their headquarters in Burr Ridge, IL for a tour and a dialogue about the importance of ID physicians and the need revalue evaluation and management codes.
In his role as Chair of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, Representative Roskam plays a critical role in overseeing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, including physician reimbursement. His visit comes as IDSA and other members of the Cognitive Care Alliance, a coalition of specialty societies including the Endocrine Society, American College of Rheumatology, and the American Society of Hematology, who advocate for increased compensation for cognitive physicians, are stepping up their efforts with Congress and CMS to ensure the agency undertakes research needed to revalue E/M codes.
During the tour and meeting, Drs. Petrak and Fliegelman expressed their appreciation to Chairman Roskam for his support for ID physicans and the work they do to care for patients and protect the public from infectious diseases and asked the Congressman to convey the need for E/M studies to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma. Drs. Petrak and Fliegelman, and IDSA will continue to work with Representative Roskam to communicate the importance of CMS action on this issue.
Drs. Petrak and Fliegelman and the MIDC staff made the most of the April Congressional recess by hosting Chairman Roskam. If you interested in getting involved in IDSA and HIVMA’s advocacy efforts, and perhaps host your own facility tour for your member of Congress, please contact Lisa Cox with IDSA, or George Fistonich with HIVMA. Our staff can help schedule the visit, provide you with talking points on IDSA policy priorities and background information on your Members of Congress, and even attend the visit to provide on-site support.
