Although Congress has left for the holidays without addressing the 3.37% cut to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that will take effect January 1, it is likely that relief will be provided as part of the government funding bill that must come together by January 19.

If Congress enacts a retroactive fix by that date, reimbursement rates will not actually be affected due to the processing timeline for Medicare claims payment. The past month saw significant movement on this issue, with several bipartisan legislative proposals introduced and considered. Two of the proposals would mitigate the reduction but not entirely avert it but, in early December, a bipartisan group of legislators introduced a bill to stop the entire 3.37% cut.

Additionally, 194 Members of the House recently wrote to congressional leadership, calling for full relief. This momentum is promising in terms of ensuring that a solution is enacted in time.

National Town Hall

January 22, 2024

6pm CT/ 7pm ET

Kick off the year with CSRO as we gather virtually with the rheumatology community on January 22 for our National Town Hall!

Hear updates on CSRO's federal legislative and regulatory advocacy work, including the next steps to address downcoding, MPFS, and utilization management reform, as well as learn about new trends and expected legislation in the states.

Your feedback during this meeting enables us to better advocate for change at the state and federal levels and will help shape our policy priorities for the year ahead – sign up now!

Stay in the know with State-Specific Updates

As the new legislative session gets underway, be sure you are set up to receive alerts about the issues impacting the rheumatology community in your area.

Click here to add your state and zip code to your email profile today!

CSRO is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring access to the highest quality care, and this year marks CSRO's 20th anniversary of serving as a voice for the rheumatology community. Advocacy is the cornerstone of CSRO’s mission, and we remain at the forefront of state and federal efforts to grant access, affordability, and relief for physicians, patients, and practices.

Throughout this year alone, CSRO has met directly with lawmakers and regulators, supplied on-the-ground resources throughout the states, provided key testimony, supported negotiations on legislation and drafted model language, sent letters of support and requests for action, and generated grassroots campaigns – all in an effort to aid rheumatologists in protecting their patients and their livelihood.

Our work continues, and we ask you to support our advocacy efforts by making a donation to help ensure access to critical rheumatological care today.

National Town Hall: January 22, 2024

Join us virtually for a National Town Hall to learn updates on our advocacy work and share about issues impacting you or your practice.

Fellows Conference: March 1-3, 2024

Help rheumatology fellows as they prepare for their future roles as physicians by encouraging them to attend this annual event that has been curated by rheumatologists specifically for rheumatology fellows. 

Advocacy Conference: September 20-22, 2024

Mark your calendars to join us in Nashville for CSRO's annual Advocacy Conference! 

What's Happening in the States

CSRO tracks legislative activity relevant to the rheumatology community and their patients – click here to view a full status report of CSRO priority bills.

Be sure to check out our interactive legislative map tool for additional details.

Action Center

Use CSRO's convenient online platform to easily find out who your elected officials are and engage with them directly.

Advocacy Council

Amplify your voice by assembling with other like-minded individuals to enhance CSRO’s advocacy initiatives.

Career Center

Locate the perfect fit whether you're looking for new career opportunities or trying to find the right candidate.

Legislative Map Tool

Find your state on our interactive map tool to learn about current or proposed policy and ways you can take action to make an impact.

Rheum for Action

Learn about the latest advocacy issues in CSRO's advocacy column produced in partnership with Rheumatology News.

Payer Issues Reporting Form

Request assistance with any payer relation issues that may be impacting your patients or office.

Policy Correspondence

Easily access all of CSRO’s policy letters submitted to payers, state, and federal governments as an informational resource.

Step Therapy Cover Sheets

Review CSRO's state-specific step therapy materials that help guide practices in gaining an exemption from step therapy protocols.

Questions?

Please visit the CSRO website for other news and updates, and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at info@csro.info.