We’re fighting harder than ever to make sure the needs of everyone in GI – clinicians, researchers and patients – are represented in the legislative and regulatory space. Elevating our collective voice to further patient care is even more crucial during the lame duck period with numerous pressing priorities to address before the holiday season.
Here’s the latest on the current landscape and how you can get involved.
Win for IBD patient care: BCBS rescinds policy to restrict IBD medications
AGA, ACG, ASGE and NASPGHAN urged Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Illinois, Montana, New Mexico and Oklahoma, to amend their proposed policy on “infliximab and associated biosimilars,” which would force many stable patients to switch medications, and to provide exceptions for those patients who are stable on their current drug so to not disrupt treatment.
Our advocacy efforts were successful: Health Care Services Corporation (HCSC), the parent company of the BCBS plans, reversed their decision to implement the policy on Jan. 1, 2025.
We will continue to monitor this and other payor policies that make medical decisions for patients.
Stop the Medicare cuts!
GI payments will be cut by 2.8% on Jan. 1, 2025, if Congress does not act. These cuts are an added burden to providing high-quality care – that’s why we’re pushing congressional champions to protect physician payments.
We can’t fight this issue without you – help us push this issue to the top of the list for elected officials to act before they leave Washington, D.C. for the holidays.
Protect digestive disease funding
Digestive disease research is integral to improvements in GI patient care. We continue to advocate for increased dedicated funding and are committed to protecting GI research against any proposals that would threaten access to digestive disease research, including NIDDK.
