News from AGA

The AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee wants your input on the next set of guidelines to be developed. By completing an online form, you can submit recommendations for guideline topics that will be developed within the next two years. The deadline to submit your ideas is Monday, May 3.

It’s as easy as three steps to submit a guideline idea

• Check out the guidelines that AGA has already developed or are in progress.
• Complete the survey below. You can submit more than one guideline topic by filling out the form multiple times.
• Stay tuned for follow up questions in case the committee needs more information on your recommendations.

The AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee will review guideline topics in May, prioritizing and ranking topics based on the following criteria: prevalence of disease, resource utilization, variation in care, other existing guidelines, new data/changes in diagnosis or treatment, and potential for measure/quality development. Once vetted, four or more new guidelines will be recommended for development throughout the year. Complete the online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/AGAtopicsubmission

The AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee wants your input on the next set of guidelines to be developed. By completing an online form, you can submit recommendations for guideline topics that will be developed within the next two years. The deadline to submit your ideas is Monday, May 3.

It’s as easy as three steps to submit a guideline idea

• Check out the guidelines that AGA has already developed or are in progress.
• Complete the survey below. You can submit more than one guideline topic by filling out the form multiple times.
• Stay tuned for follow up questions in case the committee needs more information on your recommendations.

The AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee will review guideline topics in May, prioritizing and ranking topics based on the following criteria: prevalence of disease, resource utilization, variation in care, other existing guidelines, new data/changes in diagnosis or treatment, and potential for measure/quality development. Once vetted, four or more new guidelines will be recommended for development throughout the year. Complete the online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/AGAtopicsubmission

The AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee wants your input on the next set of guidelines to be developed. By completing an online form, you can submit recommendations for guideline topics that will be developed within the next two years. The deadline to submit your ideas is Monday, May 3.

It’s as easy as three steps to submit a guideline idea

• Check out the guidelines that AGA has already developed or are in progress.
• Complete the survey below. You can submit more than one guideline topic by filling out the form multiple times.
• Stay tuned for follow up questions in case the committee needs more information on your recommendations.

The AGA Institute Clinical Guidelines Committee will review guideline topics in May, prioritizing and ranking topics based on the following criteria: prevalence of disease, resource utilization, variation in care, other existing guidelines, new data/changes in diagnosis or treatment, and potential for measure/quality development. Once vetted, four or more new guidelines will be recommended for development throughout the year. Complete the online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/AGAtopicsubmission

Applications are now open for the 2022 AGA Fellowship cohort. AGA is proud to formally recognize its exemplary members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate a deep commitment to gastroenterology through the AGA Fellows Program. Those in clinical practice, education or research (basic or clinical) are encouraged to apply today.

Longstanding members who apply and meet the program criteria are granted the distinguished honor of AGA Fellowship and receive the following:

• The privilege of using the designation “AGAF” in professional activities. 
• An official certificate and pin denoting your status. 
• International acknowledgment at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).
• A listing on the AGA website alongside esteemed peers.  
• A pre-written, fill-in press release and a digital badge to inform others of your accomplishment.

Apply for consideration and gain recognition worldwide for your commitment to the field. The deadline is Aug. 24.

Applications are now open for the 2022 AGA Fellowship cohort. AGA is proud to formally recognize its exemplary members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate a deep commitment to gastroenterology through the AGA Fellows Program. Those in clinical practice, education or research (basic or clinical) are encouraged to apply today.

Longstanding members who apply and meet the program criteria are granted the distinguished honor of AGA Fellowship and receive the following:

• The privilege of using the designation “AGAF” in professional activities. 
• An official certificate and pin denoting your status. 
• International acknowledgment at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).
• A listing on the AGA website alongside esteemed peers.  
• A pre-written, fill-in press release and a digital badge to inform others of your accomplishment.

Apply for consideration and gain recognition worldwide for your commitment to the field. The deadline is Aug. 24.

Applications are now open for the 2022 AGA Fellowship cohort. AGA is proud to formally recognize its exemplary members whose accomplishments and contributions demonstrate a deep commitment to gastroenterology through the AGA Fellows Program. Those in clinical practice, education or research (basic or clinical) are encouraged to apply today.

Longstanding members who apply and meet the program criteria are granted the distinguished honor of AGA Fellowship and receive the following:

• The privilege of using the designation “AGAF” in professional activities. 
• An official certificate and pin denoting your status. 
• International acknowledgment at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).
• A listing on the AGA website alongside esteemed peers.  
• A pre-written, fill-in press release and a digital badge to inform others of your accomplishment.

Apply for consideration and gain recognition worldwide for your commitment to the field. The deadline is Aug. 24.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. Here’s a preview of a recent popular clinical discussion:

From Jennifer Weiss, MD, MS, AGAF: Implementing CRC screening at 45:

The ACS recommended lowering the CRC screening age to 45, ACG has recently followed suit, and the USPSTF draft revisions also support a lower CRC screening age. In this month of colorectal cancer awareness, I was wondering how many people have started implementing this change in their practice and if they have received any pushback from insurance companies?

See how AGA members responded and join the discussion: https://community.gastro.org/posts/23923

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. Here’s a preview of a recent popular clinical discussion:

From Jennifer Weiss, MD, MS, AGAF: Implementing CRC screening at 45:

The ACS recommended lowering the CRC screening age to 45, ACG has recently followed suit, and the USPSTF draft revisions also support a lower CRC screening age. In this month of colorectal cancer awareness, I was wondering how many people have started implementing this change in their practice and if they have received any pushback from insurance companies?

See how AGA members responded and join the discussion: https://community.gastro.org/posts/23923

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. Here’s a preview of a recent popular clinical discussion:

From Jennifer Weiss, MD, MS, AGAF: Implementing CRC screening at 45:

The ACS recommended lowering the CRC screening age to 45, ACG has recently followed suit, and the USPSTF draft revisions also support a lower CRC screening age. In this month of colorectal cancer awareness, I was wondering how many people have started implementing this change in their practice and if they have received any pushback from insurance companies?

See how AGA members responded and join the discussion: https://community.gastro.org/posts/23923

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The following is a preview of a recent popular clinical discussion:

From John Fang, MD: Update on feeding tubes: Indications and troubleshooting complications.

Gastroenterologists are uniquely positioned to manage individuals with feeding tubes as their training underscores principles in digestion, nutrition support, and enteral tube placement. Adequate management of individuals with feeding tubes and, importantly, the complications that arise from feeding tube use and placement require both right education and experience. Therefore, gastroenterologists are well suited to both place and manage individuals with feeding tubes in the long term.

Questions:

1. Are gastroenterologist best suited for placement and management of feeding tubes (vs. interventional radiology or surgery)?

2. Are gastroenterologists adequately trained place and manage feeding tubes?

3. What are the most difficult complication(s) of feeding tubes to manage?

The conversation stems from the February In Focus article from The New Gastroenterologist, “Update on feeding tubes: Indications and troubleshooting complications.”

See how AGA members responded and join the discussion: https://community.gastro.org/posts/23639.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The following is a preview of a recent popular clinical discussion:

From John Fang, MD: Update on feeding tubes: Indications and troubleshooting complications.

Gastroenterologists are uniquely positioned to manage individuals with feeding tubes as their training underscores principles in digestion, nutrition support, and enteral tube placement. Adequate management of individuals with feeding tubes and, importantly, the complications that arise from feeding tube use and placement require both right education and experience. Therefore, gastroenterologists are well suited to both place and manage individuals with feeding tubes in the long term.

Questions:

1. Are gastroenterologist best suited for placement and management of feeding tubes (vs. interventional radiology or surgery)?

2. Are gastroenterologists adequately trained place and manage feeding tubes?

3. What are the most difficult complication(s) of feeding tubes to manage?

The conversation stems from the February In Focus article from The New Gastroenterologist, “Update on feeding tubes: Indications and troubleshooting complications.”

See how AGA members responded and join the discussion: https://community.gastro.org/posts/23639.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The following is a preview of a recent popular clinical discussion:

From John Fang, MD: Update on feeding tubes: Indications and troubleshooting complications.

Gastroenterologists are uniquely positioned to manage individuals with feeding tubes as their training underscores principles in digestion, nutrition support, and enteral tube placement. Adequate management of individuals with feeding tubes and, importantly, the complications that arise from feeding tube use and placement require both right education and experience. Therefore, gastroenterologists are well suited to both place and manage individuals with feeding tubes in the long term.

Questions:

1. Are gastroenterologist best suited for placement and management of feeding tubes (vs. interventional radiology or surgery)?

2. Are gastroenterologists adequately trained place and manage feeding tubes?

3. What are the most difficult complication(s) of feeding tubes to manage?

The conversation stems from the February In Focus article from The New Gastroenterologist, “Update on feeding tubes: Indications and troubleshooting complications.”

See how AGA members responded and join the discussion: https://community.gastro.org/posts/23639.

The American Gastroenterological Association has announced the 2021 recipients of its annual recognition prizes, given in honor of outstanding contributions and achievements in gastroenterology.

“AGA Recognition Prizes allow members to honor their contemporaries for their exceptional contributions to the field of gastroenterology and hepatology,” said Hashem B. El-Serag, MD, MPH, AGAF, chair of AGA. “The 2021 AGA Recognition Prize winners represent only a small group of our widely distinguished and exceptional members who help make AGA such an accomplished organization. We are honored that such esteemed individuals are representatives of AGA.”

This year the AGA Recognition Prizes will be presented virtually in May 2021.

• Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Julius Friedenwald Medal
• Byron Cryer, MD, Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Kim Barrett, Distinguished Achievement Award in Basic Science
• David Y. Graham, William Beaumont Prize
• Griffin Rodgers, MD, MACP, Research Service Award
• Lin Chang, Distinguished Educator Award
• Nimish Vakil, MD, AGAF, FASGE, Distinguished Clinician Award in Private Practice
• Peter H.R. Green, Distinguished Clinician Award in Academic Practice
• Vay Liang “Bill” Go, MD, AGAF, Distinguished Mentor Award
• Shahnaz Sultan, MD, MHSc, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award
• Osama Altayar, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Perica Davitkov, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Joseph D. Feuerstein, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Shazia M. Siddique, MD, MSHP, Outstanding Service Award
• Yngve T. Falck-Ytter, MD, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award
• Joseph K. Lim, MD, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award

To learn more about our 2021 AGA recognition prize recipients, visit https://gastro.org/2021awards.
 

The American Gastroenterological Association has announced the 2021 recipients of its annual recognition prizes, given in honor of outstanding contributions and achievements in gastroenterology.

“AGA Recognition Prizes allow members to honor their contemporaries for their exceptional contributions to the field of gastroenterology and hepatology,” said Hashem B. El-Serag, MD, MPH, AGAF, chair of AGA. “The 2021 AGA Recognition Prize winners represent only a small group of our widely distinguished and exceptional members who help make AGA such an accomplished organization. We are honored that such esteemed individuals are representatives of AGA.”

This year the AGA Recognition Prizes will be presented virtually in May 2021.

• Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Julius Friedenwald Medal
• Byron Cryer, MD, Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Kim Barrett, Distinguished Achievement Award in Basic Science
• David Y. Graham, William Beaumont Prize
• Griffin Rodgers, MD, MACP, Research Service Award
• Lin Chang, Distinguished Educator Award
• Nimish Vakil, MD, AGAF, FASGE, Distinguished Clinician Award in Private Practice
• Peter H.R. Green, Distinguished Clinician Award in Academic Practice
• Vay Liang “Bill” Go, MD, AGAF, Distinguished Mentor Award
• Shahnaz Sultan, MD, MHSc, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award
• Osama Altayar, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Perica Davitkov, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Joseph D. Feuerstein, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Shazia M. Siddique, MD, MSHP, Outstanding Service Award
• Yngve T. Falck-Ytter, MD, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award
• Joseph K. Lim, MD, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award

To learn more about our 2021 AGA recognition prize recipients, visit https://gastro.org/2021awards.
 

The American Gastroenterological Association has announced the 2021 recipients of its annual recognition prizes, given in honor of outstanding contributions and achievements in gastroenterology.

“AGA Recognition Prizes allow members to honor their contemporaries for their exceptional contributions to the field of gastroenterology and hepatology,” said Hashem B. El-Serag, MD, MPH, AGAF, chair of AGA. “The 2021 AGA Recognition Prize winners represent only a small group of our widely distinguished and exceptional members who help make AGA such an accomplished organization. We are honored that such esteemed individuals are representatives of AGA.”

This year the AGA Recognition Prizes will be presented virtually in May 2021.

• Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, Julius Friedenwald Medal
• Byron Cryer, MD, Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Sandra Quezada, MD, MS, Distinguished Service Award in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Kim Barrett, Distinguished Achievement Award in Basic Science
• David Y. Graham, William Beaumont Prize
• Griffin Rodgers, MD, MACP, Research Service Award
• Lin Chang, Distinguished Educator Award
• Nimish Vakil, MD, AGAF, FASGE, Distinguished Clinician Award in Private Practice
• Peter H.R. Green, Distinguished Clinician Award in Academic Practice
• Vay Liang “Bill” Go, MD, AGAF, Distinguished Mentor Award
• Shahnaz Sultan, MD, MHSc, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award
• Osama Altayar, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Perica Davitkov, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Joseph D. Feuerstein, MD, Outstanding Service Award
• Shazia M. Siddique, MD, MSHP, Outstanding Service Award
• Yngve T. Falck-Ytter, MD, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award
• Joseph K. Lim, MD, AGAF, Outstanding Service Award

To learn more about our 2021 AGA recognition prize recipients, visit https://gastro.org/2021awards.
 

If you own stock that’s increased in value since you purchased it (and you’ve owned it for at least 1 year), you have a unique opportunity for philanthropy. When you donate securities to the AGA Research Foundation, you receive the same income tax savings (if you itemize) that you would if you wrote the AGA Research Foundation a check, but with the added benefit of eliminating capital gains taxes on the transfer, which can be as high as 20%.

Making a gift of securities to support the AGA Research Foundation’s mission to raise funds to support young researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology is as easy as instructing your broker to transfer the shares. Using assets other than cash also allows you more flexibility when planning your gift.



Benefits:

• Receive an income tax deduction for gifts of securities if you itemize.
• Provide relief from capital gains tax with gifts of securities.
• Help fulfill our mission with your contribution.

Take the next step:

The AGA Research Foundation can help clarify and document the steps to donate stock to us. Contact us at [email protected] to make your donation.


 

If you own stock that’s increased in value since you purchased it (and you’ve owned it for at least 1 year), you have a unique opportunity for philanthropy. When you donate securities to the AGA Research Foundation, you receive the same income tax savings (if you itemize) that you would if you wrote the AGA Research Foundation a check, but with the added benefit of eliminating capital gains taxes on the transfer, which can be as high as 20%.

Making a gift of securities to support the AGA Research Foundation’s mission to raise funds to support young researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology is as easy as instructing your broker to transfer the shares. Using assets other than cash also allows you more flexibility when planning your gift.



Benefits:

• Receive an income tax deduction for gifts of securities if you itemize.
• Provide relief from capital gains tax with gifts of securities.
• Help fulfill our mission with your contribution.

Take the next step:

The AGA Research Foundation can help clarify and document the steps to donate stock to us. Contact us at [email protected] to make your donation.


 

If you own stock that’s increased in value since you purchased it (and you’ve owned it for at least 1 year), you have a unique opportunity for philanthropy. When you donate securities to the AGA Research Foundation, you receive the same income tax savings (if you itemize) that you would if you wrote the AGA Research Foundation a check, but with the added benefit of eliminating capital gains taxes on the transfer, which can be as high as 20%.

Making a gift of securities to support the AGA Research Foundation’s mission to raise funds to support young researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology is as easy as instructing your broker to transfer the shares. Using assets other than cash also allows you more flexibility when planning your gift.



Benefits:

• Receive an income tax deduction for gifts of securities if you itemize.
• Provide relief from capital gains tax with gifts of securities.
• Help fulfill our mission with your contribution.

Take the next step:

The AGA Research Foundation can help clarify and document the steps to donate stock to us. Contact us at [email protected] to make your donation.


 

Join your colleagues in the digestive disease community at the most prestigious meeting for GI professionals. Registration for Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2021 is now open. Register on or before March 31 to receive a discounted rate. AGA member trainees, postdoctoral fellows, medical residents and students also receive complimentary registration during this early bird period.

In 2021, DDW moves online as a fully virtual meeting, taking place May 21–23, 2021. While DDW Virtual™ will look a little different, we’re excited by opportunities the new format provides to learn, share, and connect, such as the following:

• Explore today’s most pressing topics and new developments, shared in oral abstract and ePoster presentations.
• Gain the kind of insight that you can’t get out of a textbook, presented in sessions led by top GI and hepatology experts.
• Network and build connections with your colleagues in an engaging, interactive setting.

Learn more and register at ddw.org.

Join your colleagues in the digestive disease community at the most prestigious meeting for GI professionals. Registration for Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2021 is now open. Register on or before March 31 to receive a discounted rate. AGA member trainees, postdoctoral fellows, medical residents and students also receive complimentary registration during this early bird period.

In 2021, DDW moves online as a fully virtual meeting, taking place May 21–23, 2021. While DDW Virtual™ will look a little different, we’re excited by opportunities the new format provides to learn, share, and connect, such as the following:

• Explore today’s most pressing topics and new developments, shared in oral abstract and ePoster presentations.
• Gain the kind of insight that you can’t get out of a textbook, presented in sessions led by top GI and hepatology experts.
• Network and build connections with your colleagues in an engaging, interactive setting.

Learn more and register at ddw.org.

Join your colleagues in the digestive disease community at the most prestigious meeting for GI professionals. Registration for Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2021 is now open. Register on or before March 31 to receive a discounted rate. AGA member trainees, postdoctoral fellows, medical residents and students also receive complimentary registration during this early bird period.

In 2021, DDW moves online as a fully virtual meeting, taking place May 21–23, 2021. While DDW Virtual™ will look a little different, we’re excited by opportunities the new format provides to learn, share, and connect, such as the following:

• Explore today’s most pressing topics and new developments, shared in oral abstract and ePoster presentations.
• Gain the kind of insight that you can’t get out of a textbook, presented in sessions led by top GI and hepatology experts.
• Network and build connections with your colleagues in an engaging, interactive setting.

Learn more and register at ddw.org.

Join the GI community in a round of applause for the 120 members adding the designation “AGAF” in their professional activities. Along with a recognition pin and certificate of acceptance, American Gastroenterological Association President Bishr Omary commends the group in the AGA Community for their superior professional achievements and contributions to the field of gastroenterology. See the full list and join the discussion at https://community.gastro.org.

Join the GI community in a round of applause for the 120 members adding the designation “AGAF” in their professional activities. Along with a recognition pin and certificate of acceptance, American Gastroenterological Association President Bishr Omary commends the group in the AGA Community for their superior professional achievements and contributions to the field of gastroenterology. See the full list and join the discussion at https://community.gastro.org.

Join the GI community in a round of applause for the 120 members adding the designation “AGAF” in their professional activities. Along with a recognition pin and certificate of acceptance, American Gastroenterological Association President Bishr Omary commends the group in the AGA Community for their superior professional achievements and contributions to the field of gastroenterology. See the full list and join the discussion at https://community.gastro.org.

Physician advocacy is an important tool for health care professionals to protect patients and the vitality of the profession. Medical associations across the spectrum participate in advocacy because of its value in preserving the beneficial role of physicians in health care policy decision making. This is especially true for specialty physician associations, like the American Gastroenterological Association, which represents more than 9,000 U.S. GI physicians and researchers. Advocacy allows for the voice of GIs and their patients to be heard on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and among various regulatory agencies. When we advocate as a profession, we help ensure good policies gain momentum and halt harmful legislative or regulatory efforts from enactment.

What is physician advocacy?

Physicians are advocating every day for their patients by helping patients make the right decisions about their care. This naturally translates into advocacy at the health policy level. Advocacy is lobbying. While that word may take on a negative meaning for some, it also means being a persuasive communicator, passionate educator, and a leader. National associations, like AGA, often call on members to do just that: educate lawmakers on policies affecting GI, communicate how policies could affect lawmakers’ constituencies back in their respective districts, and lead others to support GI policy agendas.

Physician advocacy works. AGA had its busiest year for policy work, but this was coupled with a large uptick in GI advocacy engagement. The public health emergency placed many burdens on the health care community and our profession. However, through our advocacy work, we also saw many changes, including increased federal research funding for digestive diseases and GI cancers, passage of legislation to remove patients’ barriers to colorectal cancer screening, increased regulatory and reimbursement flexibilities incorporated to ensure physicians could continue to deliver timely care, and creation of federal financial and small business relief programs to support gastroenterology practices.

Physician advocacy in GI is especially critical because specialty care is often viewed as having a smaller voice when compared with those of the larger bodies, such as primary care, surgery, or emergency physicians. As a health care specialty with a known shortage across the United States, we need all the help we can get to inform policy makers of our position on controversial policies. In many cases, non–health care professionals are informing policy makers on how to address issues that impact our profession. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge about health care complexities and needs among decision makers who are ultimately determining how health care is delivered. As health care experts, we are best suited to educate lawmakers on the true impact of health policies. If we do not engage and educate policy makers, our profession and patients will suffer the consequences.

GI policy priorities for 2021

AGA will continue its advocacy work in 2021 on the following issues and encourage you and your colleagues to get involved:

Administrative burden relief

Utilization management protocols, like prior authorizations and step therapy, continue to increase and force physicians and their staff to spend hours of extra work time each week to process the paperwork. Prior authorizations are especially troublesome because they have increased for upper GI procedures and other common procedures. Step therapy protocols have also increased for IBD patients on biologics or other high-cost therapies, resulting in patients not receiving effective therapies as determined by their physician in a timely manner.

Patient access and protections

Coverage
Coverage for patients includes the following two areas:

COVID-19 relief: The public health emergency has weakened the health care workforce with physician practices and researchers facing financial instability and threatened patient access to specialty care. To support the health care community and to combat the pandemic, the following is necessary: Increased access to personal protective equipment and medical supplies for testing and vaccination distribution and increased rapid tests, testing sites, and health care workers. The public health emergency response also requires a stronger emphasis on health equity given the disproportionate impact it has had on communities of color.

• Preserving Affordable Care Act patient protections: The Supreme Court will rule on the Affordable Care Act, a decision which threatens to dismantle the law, including provisions that require insurers to cover preexisting conditions and preventive services. With patients delaying screenings because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased incidence among minority and younger populations, it is imperative that preventative screening services – like colorectal cancer screenings – remain fully covered by payers. Moreover, because of the nature of GI diseases, patients often develop multiple conditions throughout their lifetime. The preexisting conditions protections in the ACA ensure that GI patients can gain the insurance coverage they need to obtain quality treatment.

Choice
Health plans and pharmacy benefit managers are using burdensome practices, such as step therapy, to limit patient access to drugs and biologics. These practices disrupt treatment and restrict individuals with digestive diseases from the medicines that work best for them.


Affordability
High out-of-pocket drug and biologics costs limit access to necessary therapies for people with digestive diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. High out-of-pocket costs contribute to noncompliance, which in turn results in disease progression and complications and increases in overall health care costs.

Research funding

Sustainable long-term funding for federal research is critical to ensure the United States remains a leading contributor to innovative research breakthroughs. Under the current appropriations process in Congress, federal research funding can vary dramatically from year to year. Often enough, research funding for the next fiscal year is delayed by politics in Congress that result in continuing resolutions to fund the government and U.S. research institutions. Unstable funding causes a turbulent environment for investigators and is a deterrent for new investigators entering the field.

Member engagement

GIs need to engage in the policymaking process as there are too many threats and opportunities in today’s policy arena. The effectiveness of AGA’s advocacy work in the federal government is contingent upon members’ engagement in public policy. To increase physician advocacy and AGA member engagement, AGA offers the following avenues for members:

AGA political action committee
Political engagement is a powerful tool physician advocates can use to increase the visibility of GI on Capitol Hill. Political action committees (PACs) help provide access to lawmakers and their staff so that our advocates can educate them on the rationale for supporting our clinical and research priorities. Although PACs do not guarantee successes in Congress, it is important to note that contributions to legislators’ campaigns help them to be run more smoothly and effectively and allow the legislators to continue to serve their constituents. AGA PAC is a bipartisan political arm of AGA and is the only PAC dedicated to gastroenterology. Learn more at gastro.org/AGA-PAC.

Grassroots engagement
Build a relationship with your elected officials and their health policy staff by communicating with them often and offering to serve as a resource to the office on issues related to specialty medicine. AGA makes this easy with its online advocacy action center: gastro.quorum.us. Find out who your lawmakers are and research their background, engage them by email or Twitter on priority policy issues, and share stories with AGA staff about your interactions with congressional offices.

Congressional Advocates Program
This program creates a national grassroots network of engaged gastroenterologists interested in advocating for our profession and patients. Congressional Advocates are mentored and receive year-round advocacy training by AGA leadership and staff. Learn more at gastro.org/advocacy-and-policy/congressional-advocates-program.

Start advocating for gastroenterology

A new session of Congress has just begun, a new administration with a heavy health care agenda was elected into office, and gastroenterology needs your voice more than ever as we advocate for what really matters to us and our patients.

Join your colleagues at AGA’s spring virtual Advocacy Day on April 22, 2021. The event allows AGA members to meet with lawmakers and health policy staff virtually to educate them on the priority issues affecting our profession.

AGA staff makes it easy for you to participate. Webinar trainings, meeting schedules, and talking points will be provided to you ahead of time. For this event, we will speak to lawmakers about increasing federal research funding, addressing regulatory burdens like prior authorizations and step therapy protocols, and ensuring gastroenterologists and investigators have continued support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit gastro.org/aga-advocacy-day or contact AGA’s senior public policy coordinator, Jonathan Sollish, at [email protected].

Physician advocacy is an important tool for health care professionals to protect patients and the vitality of the profession. Medical associations across the spectrum participate in advocacy because of its value in preserving the beneficial role of physicians in health care policy decision making. This is especially true for specialty physician associations, like the American Gastroenterological Association, which represents more than 9,000 U.S. GI physicians and researchers. Advocacy allows for the voice of GIs and their patients to be heard on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and among various regulatory agencies. When we advocate as a profession, we help ensure good policies gain momentum and halt harmful legislative or regulatory efforts from enactment.

What is physician advocacy?

Physicians are advocating every day for their patients by helping patients make the right decisions about their care. This naturally translates into advocacy at the health policy level. Advocacy is lobbying. While that word may take on a negative meaning for some, it also means being a persuasive communicator, passionate educator, and a leader. National associations, like AGA, often call on members to do just that: educate lawmakers on policies affecting GI, communicate how policies could affect lawmakers’ constituencies back in their respective districts, and lead others to support GI policy agendas.

Physician advocacy works. AGA had its busiest year for policy work, but this was coupled with a large uptick in GI advocacy engagement. The public health emergency placed many burdens on the health care community and our profession. However, through our advocacy work, we also saw many changes, including increased federal research funding for digestive diseases and GI cancers, passage of legislation to remove patients’ barriers to colorectal cancer screening, increased regulatory and reimbursement flexibilities incorporated to ensure physicians could continue to deliver timely care, and creation of federal financial and small business relief programs to support gastroenterology practices.

Physician advocacy in GI is especially critical because specialty care is often viewed as having a smaller voice when compared with those of the larger bodies, such as primary care, surgery, or emergency physicians. As a health care specialty with a known shortage across the United States, we need all the help we can get to inform policy makers of our position on controversial policies. In many cases, non–health care professionals are informing policy makers on how to address issues that impact our profession. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge about health care complexities and needs among decision makers who are ultimately determining how health care is delivered. As health care experts, we are best suited to educate lawmakers on the true impact of health policies. If we do not engage and educate policy makers, our profession and patients will suffer the consequences.

GI policy priorities for 2021

AGA will continue its advocacy work in 2021 on the following issues and encourage you and your colleagues to get involved:

Administrative burden relief

Utilization management protocols, like prior authorizations and step therapy, continue to increase and force physicians and their staff to spend hours of extra work time each week to process the paperwork. Prior authorizations are especially troublesome because they have increased for upper GI procedures and other common procedures. Step therapy protocols have also increased for IBD patients on biologics or other high-cost therapies, resulting in patients not receiving effective therapies as determined by their physician in a timely manner.

Patient access and protections

Coverage
Coverage for patients includes the following two areas:

COVID-19 relief: The public health emergency has weakened the health care workforce with physician practices and researchers facing financial instability and threatened patient access to specialty care. To support the health care community and to combat the pandemic, the following is necessary: Increased access to personal protective equipment and medical supplies for testing and vaccination distribution and increased rapid tests, testing sites, and health care workers. The public health emergency response also requires a stronger emphasis on health equity given the disproportionate impact it has had on communities of color.

• Preserving Affordable Care Act patient protections: The Supreme Court will rule on the Affordable Care Act, a decision which threatens to dismantle the law, including provisions that require insurers to cover preexisting conditions and preventive services. With patients delaying screenings because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased incidence among minority and younger populations, it is imperative that preventative screening services – like colorectal cancer screenings – remain fully covered by payers. Moreover, because of the nature of GI diseases, patients often develop multiple conditions throughout their lifetime. The preexisting conditions protections in the ACA ensure that GI patients can gain the insurance coverage they need to obtain quality treatment.

Choice
Health plans and pharmacy benefit managers are using burdensome practices, such as step therapy, to limit patient access to drugs and biologics. These practices disrupt treatment and restrict individuals with digestive diseases from the medicines that work best for them.


Affordability
High out-of-pocket drug and biologics costs limit access to necessary therapies for people with digestive diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. High out-of-pocket costs contribute to noncompliance, which in turn results in disease progression and complications and increases in overall health care costs.

Research funding

Sustainable long-term funding for federal research is critical to ensure the United States remains a leading contributor to innovative research breakthroughs. Under the current appropriations process in Congress, federal research funding can vary dramatically from year to year. Often enough, research funding for the next fiscal year is delayed by politics in Congress that result in continuing resolutions to fund the government and U.S. research institutions. Unstable funding causes a turbulent environment for investigators and is a deterrent for new investigators entering the field.

Member engagement

GIs need to engage in the policymaking process as there are too many threats and opportunities in today’s policy arena. The effectiveness of AGA’s advocacy work in the federal government is contingent upon members’ engagement in public policy. To increase physician advocacy and AGA member engagement, AGA offers the following avenues for members:

AGA political action committee
Political engagement is a powerful tool physician advocates can use to increase the visibility of GI on Capitol Hill. Political action committees (PACs) help provide access to lawmakers and their staff so that our advocates can educate them on the rationale for supporting our clinical and research priorities. Although PACs do not guarantee successes in Congress, it is important to note that contributions to legislators’ campaigns help them to be run more smoothly and effectively and allow the legislators to continue to serve their constituents. AGA PAC is a bipartisan political arm of AGA and is the only PAC dedicated to gastroenterology. Learn more at gastro.org/AGA-PAC.

Grassroots engagement
Build a relationship with your elected officials and their health policy staff by communicating with them often and offering to serve as a resource to the office on issues related to specialty medicine. AGA makes this easy with its online advocacy action center: gastro.quorum.us. Find out who your lawmakers are and research their background, engage them by email or Twitter on priority policy issues, and share stories with AGA staff about your interactions with congressional offices.

Congressional Advocates Program
This program creates a national grassroots network of engaged gastroenterologists interested in advocating for our profession and patients. Congressional Advocates are mentored and receive year-round advocacy training by AGA leadership and staff. Learn more at gastro.org/advocacy-and-policy/congressional-advocates-program.

Start advocating for gastroenterology

A new session of Congress has just begun, a new administration with a heavy health care agenda was elected into office, and gastroenterology needs your voice more than ever as we advocate for what really matters to us and our patients.

Join your colleagues at AGA’s spring virtual Advocacy Day on April 22, 2021. The event allows AGA members to meet with lawmakers and health policy staff virtually to educate them on the priority issues affecting our profession.

AGA staff makes it easy for you to participate. Webinar trainings, meeting schedules, and talking points will be provided to you ahead of time. For this event, we will speak to lawmakers about increasing federal research funding, addressing regulatory burdens like prior authorizations and step therapy protocols, and ensuring gastroenterologists and investigators have continued support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit gastro.org/aga-advocacy-day or contact AGA’s senior public policy coordinator, Jonathan Sollish, at [email protected].

Physician advocacy is an important tool for health care professionals to protect patients and the vitality of the profession. Medical associations across the spectrum participate in advocacy because of its value in preserving the beneficial role of physicians in health care policy decision making. This is especially true for specialty physician associations, like the American Gastroenterological Association, which represents more than 9,000 U.S. GI physicians and researchers. Advocacy allows for the voice of GIs and their patients to be heard on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and among various regulatory agencies. When we advocate as a profession, we help ensure good policies gain momentum and halt harmful legislative or regulatory efforts from enactment.

What is physician advocacy?

Physicians are advocating every day for their patients by helping patients make the right decisions about their care. This naturally translates into advocacy at the health policy level. Advocacy is lobbying. While that word may take on a negative meaning for some, it also means being a persuasive communicator, passionate educator, and a leader. National associations, like AGA, often call on members to do just that: educate lawmakers on policies affecting GI, communicate how policies could affect lawmakers’ constituencies back in their respective districts, and lead others to support GI policy agendas.

Physician advocacy works. AGA had its busiest year for policy work, but this was coupled with a large uptick in GI advocacy engagement. The public health emergency placed many burdens on the health care community and our profession. However, through our advocacy work, we also saw many changes, including increased federal research funding for digestive diseases and GI cancers, passage of legislation to remove patients’ barriers to colorectal cancer screening, increased regulatory and reimbursement flexibilities incorporated to ensure physicians could continue to deliver timely care, and creation of federal financial and small business relief programs to support gastroenterology practices.

Physician advocacy in GI is especially critical because specialty care is often viewed as having a smaller voice when compared with those of the larger bodies, such as primary care, surgery, or emergency physicians. As a health care specialty with a known shortage across the United States, we need all the help we can get to inform policy makers of our position on controversial policies. In many cases, non–health care professionals are informing policy makers on how to address issues that impact our profession. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge about health care complexities and needs among decision makers who are ultimately determining how health care is delivered. As health care experts, we are best suited to educate lawmakers on the true impact of health policies. If we do not engage and educate policy makers, our profession and patients will suffer the consequences.

GI policy priorities for 2021

AGA will continue its advocacy work in 2021 on the following issues and encourage you and your colleagues to get involved:

Administrative burden relief

Utilization management protocols, like prior authorizations and step therapy, continue to increase and force physicians and their staff to spend hours of extra work time each week to process the paperwork. Prior authorizations are especially troublesome because they have increased for upper GI procedures and other common procedures. Step therapy protocols have also increased for IBD patients on biologics or other high-cost therapies, resulting in patients not receiving effective therapies as determined by their physician in a timely manner.

Patient access and protections

Coverage
Coverage for patients includes the following two areas:

COVID-19 relief: The public health emergency has weakened the health care workforce with physician practices and researchers facing financial instability and threatened patient access to specialty care. To support the health care community and to combat the pandemic, the following is necessary: Increased access to personal protective equipment and medical supplies for testing and vaccination distribution and increased rapid tests, testing sites, and health care workers. The public health emergency response also requires a stronger emphasis on health equity given the disproportionate impact it has had on communities of color.

• Preserving Affordable Care Act patient protections: The Supreme Court will rule on the Affordable Care Act, a decision which threatens to dismantle the law, including provisions that require insurers to cover preexisting conditions and preventive services. With patients delaying screenings because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased incidence among minority and younger populations, it is imperative that preventative screening services – like colorectal cancer screenings – remain fully covered by payers. Moreover, because of the nature of GI diseases, patients often develop multiple conditions throughout their lifetime. The preexisting conditions protections in the ACA ensure that GI patients can gain the insurance coverage they need to obtain quality treatment.

Choice
Health plans and pharmacy benefit managers are using burdensome practices, such as step therapy, to limit patient access to drugs and biologics. These practices disrupt treatment and restrict individuals with digestive diseases from the medicines that work best for them.


Affordability
High out-of-pocket drug and biologics costs limit access to necessary therapies for people with digestive diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. High out-of-pocket costs contribute to noncompliance, which in turn results in disease progression and complications and increases in overall health care costs.

Research funding

Sustainable long-term funding for federal research is critical to ensure the United States remains a leading contributor to innovative research breakthroughs. Under the current appropriations process in Congress, federal research funding can vary dramatically from year to year. Often enough, research funding for the next fiscal year is delayed by politics in Congress that result in continuing resolutions to fund the government and U.S. research institutions. Unstable funding causes a turbulent environment for investigators and is a deterrent for new investigators entering the field.

Member engagement

GIs need to engage in the policymaking process as there are too many threats and opportunities in today’s policy arena. The effectiveness of AGA’s advocacy work in the federal government is contingent upon members’ engagement in public policy. To increase physician advocacy and AGA member engagement, AGA offers the following avenues for members:

AGA political action committee
Political engagement is a powerful tool physician advocates can use to increase the visibility of GI on Capitol Hill. Political action committees (PACs) help provide access to lawmakers and their staff so that our advocates can educate them on the rationale for supporting our clinical and research priorities. Although PACs do not guarantee successes in Congress, it is important to note that contributions to legislators’ campaigns help them to be run more smoothly and effectively and allow the legislators to continue to serve their constituents. AGA PAC is a bipartisan political arm of AGA and is the only PAC dedicated to gastroenterology. Learn more at gastro.org/AGA-PAC.

Grassroots engagement
Build a relationship with your elected officials and their health policy staff by communicating with them often and offering to serve as a resource to the office on issues related to specialty medicine. AGA makes this easy with its online advocacy action center: gastro.quorum.us. Find out who your lawmakers are and research their background, engage them by email or Twitter on priority policy issues, and share stories with AGA staff about your interactions with congressional offices.

Congressional Advocates Program
This program creates a national grassroots network of engaged gastroenterologists interested in advocating for our profession and patients. Congressional Advocates are mentored and receive year-round advocacy training by AGA leadership and staff. Learn more at gastro.org/advocacy-and-policy/congressional-advocates-program.

Start advocating for gastroenterology

A new session of Congress has just begun, a new administration with a heavy health care agenda was elected into office, and gastroenterology needs your voice more than ever as we advocate for what really matters to us and our patients.

Join your colleagues at AGA’s spring virtual Advocacy Day on April 22, 2021. The event allows AGA members to meet with lawmakers and health policy staff virtually to educate them on the priority issues affecting our profession.

AGA staff makes it easy for you to participate. Webinar trainings, meeting schedules, and talking points will be provided to you ahead of time. For this event, we will speak to lawmakers about increasing federal research funding, addressing regulatory burdens like prior authorizations and step therapy protocols, and ensuring gastroenterologists and investigators have continued support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit gastro.org/aga-advocacy-day or contact AGA’s senior public policy coordinator, Jonathan Sollish, at [email protected].

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

• COVID-19 vaccine and IBD patients (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23449)
• Simethicone use (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23448)
• COVID-19 vaccine – are you getting it or not? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23442)
• Patient case: Unexplained jaundice in an established cirrhotic (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23244)
• Patient case: 76 year old male with recurrent / persistent NET in proximal stomach (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23243)
• Patient case: Entyvio and chemotherapy (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23238)
• Discharge instructions for moderate sedation (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23193)

View all discussions in the AGA Community at https://community.gastro.org.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

• COVID-19 vaccine and IBD patients (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23449)
• Simethicone use (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23448)
• COVID-19 vaccine – are you getting it or not? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23442)
• Patient case: Unexplained jaundice in an established cirrhotic (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23244)
• Patient case: 76 year old male with recurrent / persistent NET in proximal stomach (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23243)
• Patient case: Entyvio and chemotherapy (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23238)
• Discharge instructions for moderate sedation (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23193)

View all discussions in the AGA Community at https://community.gastro.org.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

• COVID-19 vaccine and IBD patients (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23449)
• Simethicone use (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23448)
• COVID-19 vaccine – are you getting it or not? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23442)
• Patient case: Unexplained jaundice in an established cirrhotic (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23244)
• Patient case: 76 year old male with recurrent / persistent NET in proximal stomach (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23243)
• Patient case: Entyvio and chemotherapy (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23238)
• Discharge instructions for moderate sedation (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23193)

View all discussions in the AGA Community at https://community.gastro.org.