Society News

More than 40 AGA members, representing 24 states, visited Capitol Hill earlier this fall to fight for the science and practice of gastroenterology during AGA’s annual Advocacy Day.

NIH funding

AGA members met with lawmakers and their staffs on Sept. 16 to discuss the success that research and medical breakthroughs have had for their patients and encouraged Congress to support increased funding for NIH. Many members of Congress support increased funding for NIH, but a small group of House members is preventing passage of a bill that would increase funding for the institute by $1.25 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2017. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill in June, on a vote of 29-1, to increase funding for NIH by $2 billion. Advocacy Day attendees urged their congressional offices to support the higher Senate number.

MACRA implementation

Members also discussed the need for congressional oversight to ensure that the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) law is being implemented as Congress intended. They shared their concerns over the impact this law could have on gastroenterologists, especially those in small or solo practices, and emphasized the need for CMS to provide flexibility to physicians to enable them to comply with the new requirements.

Participants highlighted the recent announcement that CMS will allow physicians more options for reporting in the first year as a positive sign that it is listening to the concerns voiced by Congress and the physician community on the regulatory burdens. AGA members also discussed the barriers that currently exist in qualifying as a specialty-focused alternative payment model (APM) and the need for continued flexibility to ensure that all physicians have the opportunity to participate in more value-based payment models.

Virtual advocacy

In conjunction with the Capitol Hill meetings, all AGA members were invited to participate in a Virtual Advocacy Day campaign. This additional component allowed all members to contact their members of Congress via email to voice their concerns about sustainable NIH funding for FY 2017 and the need for more congressional oversight of MACRA.

It’s not too late for you to show your support for the science and practice of GI. Contact your congressional representatives in support of important issues at www.gastroadvocacy.org/actionalerts.aspx.

More than 40 AGA members, representing 24 states, visited Capitol Hill earlier this fall to fight for the science and practice of gastroenterology during AGA’s annual Advocacy Day.

NIH funding

AGA members met with lawmakers and their staffs on Sept. 16 to discuss the success that research and medical breakthroughs have had for their patients and encouraged Congress to support increased funding for NIH. Many members of Congress support increased funding for NIH, but a small group of House members is preventing passage of a bill that would increase funding for the institute by $1.25 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2017. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill in June, on a vote of 29-1, to increase funding for NIH by $2 billion. Advocacy Day attendees urged their congressional offices to support the higher Senate number.

MACRA implementation

Members also discussed the need for congressional oversight to ensure that the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) law is being implemented as Congress intended. They shared their concerns over the impact this law could have on gastroenterologists, especially those in small or solo practices, and emphasized the need for CMS to provide flexibility to physicians to enable them to comply with the new requirements.

Participants highlighted the recent announcement that CMS will allow physicians more options for reporting in the first year as a positive sign that it is listening to the concerns voiced by Congress and the physician community on the regulatory burdens. AGA members also discussed the barriers that currently exist in qualifying as a specialty-focused alternative payment model (APM) and the need for continued flexibility to ensure that all physicians have the opportunity to participate in more value-based payment models.

Virtual advocacy

In conjunction with the Capitol Hill meetings, all AGA members were invited to participate in a Virtual Advocacy Day campaign. This additional component allowed all members to contact their members of Congress via email to voice their concerns about sustainable NIH funding for FY 2017 and the need for more congressional oversight of MACRA.

It’s not too late for you to show your support for the science and practice of GI. Contact your congressional representatives in support of important issues at www.gastroadvocacy.org/actionalerts.aspx.

More than 40 AGA members, representing 24 states, visited Capitol Hill earlier this fall to fight for the science and practice of gastroenterology during AGA’s annual Advocacy Day.

NIH funding

AGA members met with lawmakers and their staffs on Sept. 16 to discuss the success that research and medical breakthroughs have had for their patients and encouraged Congress to support increased funding for NIH. Many members of Congress support increased funding for NIH, but a small group of House members is preventing passage of a bill that would increase funding for the institute by $1.25 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2017. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill in June, on a vote of 29-1, to increase funding for NIH by $2 billion. Advocacy Day attendees urged their congressional offices to support the higher Senate number.

MACRA implementation

Members also discussed the need for congressional oversight to ensure that the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) law is being implemented as Congress intended. They shared their concerns over the impact this law could have on gastroenterologists, especially those in small or solo practices, and emphasized the need for CMS to provide flexibility to physicians to enable them to comply with the new requirements.

Participants highlighted the recent announcement that CMS will allow physicians more options for reporting in the first year as a positive sign that it is listening to the concerns voiced by Congress and the physician community on the regulatory burdens. AGA members also discussed the barriers that currently exist in qualifying as a specialty-focused alternative payment model (APM) and the need for continued flexibility to ensure that all physicians have the opportunity to participate in more value-based payment models.

Virtual advocacy

In conjunction with the Capitol Hill meetings, all AGA members were invited to participate in a Virtual Advocacy Day campaign. This additional component allowed all members to contact their members of Congress via email to voice their concerns about sustainable NIH funding for FY 2017 and the need for more congressional oversight of MACRA.

It’s not too late for you to show your support for the science and practice of GI. Contact your congressional representatives in support of important issues at www.gastroadvocacy.org/actionalerts.aspx.

AGA is committed to your success in gastroenterology. Make sure to renew your membership at www.gastro.org/renew to maintain your benefits and stay up to date on the latest discoveries in GI through subscriptions to leading publications. These include Gastroenterology, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, as well as members-only publications covering leading trends in the field.

Renew today and also maintain access to the AGA Community forum, where you can share topics and challenges spanning the GI landscape. You can also sign up for up to 6 of 13 section affiliations to discuss the needs and issues facing GI professionals.

Take advantage of these and other career-enhancing, members-only benefits like valuable patient care resources or research funding and publishing opportunities.

Renew before the Dec. 1 deadline.

While renewing your membership, please take a moment to update your AGA member profile and communications preferences to receive content customized to your needs and interests.

If you have any questions, please contact AGA Member Relations and Constituency Programs at [email protected] or 301-941-2651.
 

AGA is committed to your success in gastroenterology. Make sure to renew your membership at www.gastro.org/renew to maintain your benefits and stay up to date on the latest discoveries in GI through subscriptions to leading publications. These include Gastroenterology, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, as well as members-only publications covering leading trends in the field.

Renew today and also maintain access to the AGA Community forum, where you can share topics and challenges spanning the GI landscape. You can also sign up for up to 6 of 13 section affiliations to discuss the needs and issues facing GI professionals.

Take advantage of these and other career-enhancing, members-only benefits like valuable patient care resources or research funding and publishing opportunities.

Renew before the Dec. 1 deadline.

While renewing your membership, please take a moment to update your AGA member profile and communications preferences to receive content customized to your needs and interests.

If you have any questions, please contact AGA Member Relations and Constituency Programs at [email protected] or 301-941-2651.
 

AGA is committed to your success in gastroenterology. Make sure to renew your membership at www.gastro.org/renew to maintain your benefits and stay up to date on the latest discoveries in GI through subscriptions to leading publications. These include Gastroenterology, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, as well as members-only publications covering leading trends in the field.

Renew today and also maintain access to the AGA Community forum, where you can share topics and challenges spanning the GI landscape. You can also sign up for up to 6 of 13 section affiliations to discuss the needs and issues facing GI professionals.

Take advantage of these and other career-enhancing, members-only benefits like valuable patient care resources or research funding and publishing opportunities.

Renew before the Dec. 1 deadline.

While renewing your membership, please take a moment to update your AGA member profile and communications preferences to receive content customized to your needs and interests.

If you have any questions, please contact AGA Member Relations and Constituency Programs at [email protected] or 301-941-2651.
 

The AGA Research Foundation plays an important role in medical research by providing grants to young scientists at a critical time in their careers. In the 2016 research award cycle, the foundation provided more than $2.5 million in research award support to 66 scientists. We funded four Research Scholar Award (RSA) recipients; outside of the RSAs, the foundation provided several other funding vehicles for individuals ranging from high school students to established investigators.

With the support of our donors, we are building a community of researchers whose work serves the greater community and benefits all our patients. Here are just a few of the investigators the AGA Research Foundation is funding.
 

“I would like to thank the AGA Research Foundation and its donors for their generous support. This award is a critical step in allowing me to develop an infrastructure to support future research examining additional lifestyle risk factors for IBS.” – He will use this research funding to evaluate the association of early-life risk factors and risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in prospective multicenter cohorts.

“I am extremely honored to have received this award. This grant is instrumental in my career development as a physician-scientist working in the gut microbiome field. The opportunities and resources this award affords will gear me toward achieving my research goals.” – His research project aims to investigate the role of bacterial urease, which hydrolyzes host-derived urea into ammonia in the colon, in host and gut microbiota amino acid metabolism.

“I would like to thank the AGA Research Foundation for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct valuable research under the mantles of so many well-known scientists in the GI field. This award motivates me to continue to strive for excellence in my professional pursuits.” – Elizabeth notes receiving this grant will enable more students from her university to embark on research activities.

Support talented investigators in gastroenterology and hepatology like Drs. Kyle Staller and Ting-Chin Shen, and student Elizabeth Edouard through the AGA Research Foundation. Make a tax-deductible donation today at www.gastro.org/donateonline.

The AGA Research Foundation plays an important role in medical research by providing grants to young scientists at a critical time in their careers. In the 2016 research award cycle, the foundation provided more than $2.5 million in research award support to 66 scientists. We funded four Research Scholar Award (RSA) recipients; outside of the RSAs, the foundation provided several other funding vehicles for individuals ranging from high school students to established investigators.

With the support of our donors, we are building a community of researchers whose work serves the greater community and benefits all our patients. Here are just a few of the investigators the AGA Research Foundation is funding.
 

“I would like to thank the AGA Research Foundation and its donors for their generous support. This award is a critical step in allowing me to develop an infrastructure to support future research examining additional lifestyle risk factors for IBS.” – He will use this research funding to evaluate the association of early-life risk factors and risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in prospective multicenter cohorts.

“I am extremely honored to have received this award. This grant is instrumental in my career development as a physician-scientist working in the gut microbiome field. The opportunities and resources this award affords will gear me toward achieving my research goals.” – His research project aims to investigate the role of bacterial urease, which hydrolyzes host-derived urea into ammonia in the colon, in host and gut microbiota amino acid metabolism.

“I would like to thank the AGA Research Foundation for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct valuable research under the mantles of so many well-known scientists in the GI field. This award motivates me to continue to strive for excellence in my professional pursuits.” – Elizabeth notes receiving this grant will enable more students from her university to embark on research activities.

Support talented investigators in gastroenterology and hepatology like Drs. Kyle Staller and Ting-Chin Shen, and student Elizabeth Edouard through the AGA Research Foundation. Make a tax-deductible donation today at www.gastro.org/donateonline.

The AGA Research Foundation plays an important role in medical research by providing grants to young scientists at a critical time in their careers. In the 2016 research award cycle, the foundation provided more than $2.5 million in research award support to 66 scientists. We funded four Research Scholar Award (RSA) recipients; outside of the RSAs, the foundation provided several other funding vehicles for individuals ranging from high school students to established investigators.

With the support of our donors, we are building a community of researchers whose work serves the greater community and benefits all our patients. Here are just a few of the investigators the AGA Research Foundation is funding.
 

“I would like to thank the AGA Research Foundation and its donors for their generous support. This award is a critical step in allowing me to develop an infrastructure to support future research examining additional lifestyle risk factors for IBS.” – He will use this research funding to evaluate the association of early-life risk factors and risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in prospective multicenter cohorts.

“I am extremely honored to have received this award. This grant is instrumental in my career development as a physician-scientist working in the gut microbiome field. The opportunities and resources this award affords will gear me toward achieving my research goals.” – His research project aims to investigate the role of bacterial urease, which hydrolyzes host-derived urea into ammonia in the colon, in host and gut microbiota amino acid metabolism.

“I would like to thank the AGA Research Foundation for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct valuable research under the mantles of so many well-known scientists in the GI field. This award motivates me to continue to strive for excellence in my professional pursuits.” – Elizabeth notes receiving this grant will enable more students from her university to embark on research activities.

Support talented investigators in gastroenterology and hepatology like Drs. Kyle Staller and Ting-Chin Shen, and student Elizabeth Edouard through the AGA Research Foundation. Make a tax-deductible donation today at www.gastro.org/donateonline.

SVS and colleagues from ACC, ACR, AHA, SCAI, SIR, SVM and VIVA recently submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supporting a proposal to grant coverage for Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) for symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). Additionally, on behalf of its 5,600 members, SVS submitted a separate letter to CMS strongly supporting this coverage, which could potentially help the 8-12 million Americans affected by PAD.

CMS is considering the AHA’s recommendation to expand coverage and asked the public for comment on this proposal. A proposed decision memo is expected in March 2017.

Read the Coalition Letter

Read the SVS Letter 

SVS and colleagues from ACC, ACR, AHA, SCAI, SIR, SVM and VIVA recently submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supporting a proposal to grant coverage for Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) for symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). Additionally, on behalf of its 5,600 members, SVS submitted a separate letter to CMS strongly supporting this coverage, which could potentially help the 8-12 million Americans affected by PAD.

CMS is considering the AHA’s recommendation to expand coverage and asked the public for comment on this proposal. A proposed decision memo is expected in March 2017.

Read the Coalition Letter

Read the SVS Letter 

SVS and colleagues from ACC, ACR, AHA, SCAI, SIR, SVM and VIVA recently submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supporting a proposal to grant coverage for Supervised Exercise Therapy (SET) for symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). Additionally, on behalf of its 5,600 members, SVS submitted a separate letter to CMS strongly supporting this coverage, which could potentially help the 8-12 million Americans affected by PAD.

CMS is considering the AHA’s recommendation to expand coverage and asked the public for comment on this proposal. A proposed decision memo is expected in March 2017.

Read the Coalition Letter

Read the SVS Letter 

The SVS now offers its most recent practice guidelines as digital pocket cards through Guideline Central. These quick reference guideline tools contain everything you need to know from the full text guidelines, only in a more condensed and user-friendly format.

Members are eligible for free access to the SVS digital pocket guidelines by following the link below. Printed pocket cards are also available for purchase (discounted for SVS members). Non-members must purchase the guidelines individually, starting at $8.99.

Click here for info.

The SVS now offers its most recent practice guidelines as digital pocket cards through Guideline Central. These quick reference guideline tools contain everything you need to know from the full text guidelines, only in a more condensed and user-friendly format.

Members are eligible for free access to the SVS digital pocket guidelines by following the link below. Printed pocket cards are also available for purchase (discounted for SVS members). Non-members must purchase the guidelines individually, starting at $8.99.

Click here for info.

The SVS now offers its most recent practice guidelines as digital pocket cards through Guideline Central. These quick reference guideline tools contain everything you need to know from the full text guidelines, only in a more condensed and user-friendly format.

Members are eligible for free access to the SVS digital pocket guidelines by following the link below. Printed pocket cards are also available for purchase (discounted for SVS members). Non-members must purchase the guidelines individually, starting at $8.99.

Click here for info.