I have commented elsewhere in this journal about the value of being in Washington. This past week was another example of the opportunities that present themselves when you are located in the Nation's Capital.
At the beginning of the week I attended a forum entitled "Healthcare reform, what's next?" This event had been postponed two weeks previously due to the shootings in Tucson and before the vote in the House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
I go these events, like most, hoping to gain some nugget of insight that might otherwise not make it through the media's filter. Another reason, again why most go, is the networking opportunity.,. hey, this is Washington.
The nugget for me came from republican pollster
Bill McInturff . Who indicated that the majority party in the House of Representatives did not have anything to "replace" what they had recently "repealed." And without an alternative,
HR 2 would go nowhere.
Unfortunately, I had to leave early and so had to miss the comments of
Neera Tanden . Her perspective on how healthcare reform has evolved, given that she has been working on it since the beginning would have been very interesting.
I shared a table at the event with someone in federal affairs from
AHIP and used the opportunity to remind how important it is that health insurers provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.
I left early to attend a
briefing by the Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, on a
ecomonic study her organization did on the future of cost of heart disease. My interest in attending the briefing was to introduce myself to her, which I did after the meeting. But I also used the briefing to raise a question about the roll of healthy sleep in preventing heart disease. She wasn't quite ready for that question, though she did admit that quality sleep was important to her.
When I did get a chance to speak with her, she did recognize that sleep was important and that there was some evidence of a causal relationship between OSA and heart disease, but she stressed the need for better medical evidence of the relationship. I was reminded of the summary section from article that appeared in a 2008 AHA journal circulation that highlighted
numerous hurdles for the cardiovascular community.
Business cards were exchanged. Follow up emails sent and received. We'll see what happens.
At the end of the week I was back at the National Press Club, this time for a briefing by the president of the American College of Physicians - Fred K. Ralston, M.D. ACP is the meical professional society that represents 130,000 general practice physicians in the United States. Dr. Ralston presented the
State of the Nation's Health Care . The ACP supports the Affordable Care Act, but sees room for improvement.
The ASAA has not taken a position on the law. Our concern has been wanting to sure diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea is covered. We have asked visitors to
our web site to write to HHS Secretary Sebelius requesting that coverage be included.
The points made by the ACP and their interest in pursuing "
High Value, Cost Conscious Care " makes a lot of sense... especially early diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea can reduce the cost of healthcare down the line.
We will explore working further with the ACP, in an effort to educate primary care physicians, physician assistants and licensed practical nurses about sleep apnea and the benefits of treatment.
At the beginning of the week I attended a forum entitled "Healthcare reform, what's next?" This event had been postponed two weeks previously due to the shootings in Tucson and before the vote in the House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
I go these events, like most, hoping to gain some nugget of insight that might otherwise not make it through the media's filter. Another reason, again why most go, is the networking opportunity.,. hey, this is Washington.
The nugget for me came from republican pollster Bill McInturff . Who indicated that the majority party in the House of Representatives did not have anything to "replace" what they had recently "repealed." And without an alternative, HR 2 would go nowhere.
Unfortunately, I had to leave early and so had to miss the comments of Neera Tanden . Her perspective on how healthcare reform has evolved, given that she has been working on it since the beginning would have been very interesting.
I shared a table at the event with someone in federal affairs from AHIP and used the opportunity to remind how important it is that health insurers provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.
I left early to attend a briefing by the Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, on a ecomonic study her organization did on the future of cost of heart disease. My interest in attending the briefing was to introduce myself to her, which I did after the meeting. But I also used the briefing to raise a question about the roll of healthy sleep in preventing heart disease. She wasn't quite ready for that question, though she did admit that quality sleep was important to her.
When I did get a chance to speak with her, she did recognize that sleep was important and that there was some evidence of a causal relationship between OSA and heart disease, but she stressed the need for better medical evidence of the relationship. I was reminded of the summary section from article that appeared in a 2008 AHA journal circulation that highlighted numerous hurdles for the cardiovascular community.
Business cards were exchanged. Follow up emails sent and received. We'll see what happens.
At the end of the week I was back at the National Press Club, this time for a briefing by the president of the American College of Physicians - Fred K. Ralston, M.D. ACP is the meical professional society that represents 130,000 general practice physicians in the United States. Dr. Ralston presented the State of the Nation's Health Care . The ACP supports the Affordable Care Act, but sees room for improvement.
The ASAA has not taken a position on the law. Our concern has been wanting to sure diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea is covered. We have asked visitors to our web site to write to HHS Secretary Sebelius requesting that coverage be included.
The points made by the ACP and their interest in pursuing " High Value, Cost Conscious Care " makes a lot of sense... especially early diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea can reduce the cost of healthcare down the line.
We will explore working further with the ACP, in an effort to educate primary care physicians, physician assistants and licensed practical nurses about sleep apnea and the benefits of treatment.