Florida Society of Anesthesiologists

Dr. David Varlotta gave a presentation at our recent annual meeting on the status of our political action committee (PAC) and our needs as we begin the 2008 election cycle.

Although this year's election cycle is being overshadowed by the presidential election, there are a great number of state offices up for election or re-election. We are seeing an unprecedented number of competitive seats in both the state Senate and the state House.

In the Senate, 21 seats are up for grabs. There are seven open races with no incumbents in the race, and nine incumbents face a challenger. The other five seats were won by incumbents that did not have a challenge. Therefore, in the Senate, there are 16 active campaigns.

In the state House, all 120 seats are up for grabs. In the state House races, there are 32 open races with no incumbents, 54 incumbents face challengers and 31 incumbents won re-election when no opponent filed to run. Therefore, in the House, 86 seats are being actively campaigned. Between the state House and Senate, that makes for 102 campaigns in which we have the opportunity to get involved.

The FSA has 1,859 members. Sadly, only 242 of those members are members of the PAC. That is a participation rate of less than 8 percent! Think what we could accomplish as a PAC if we had 100 percent participation.

Anesthesiologists are regularly one of the top specialty medical groups when it comes to raising dollars for pro-medicine candidates. With your donation or with your PAC membership, we will be able to build on our successes.

The positive results we have seen with our issues are made possible by a healthy campaign war chest that allows us to support and help elect pro-medicine legislators, who we make aware of the issues surrounding the anesthesiology practice. Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact the FSA office if you have any questions.

VICTORY: Medicare bill becomes law!

H.R. 6331 includes SGR fix, Teaching Rule reform

In a historic triumph for ASA and FSA members, a law has been enacted that will reverse Medicare payment cuts for 2008, provide a 1.1% positive update for 2009, and permanently restore full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs beginning in 2010!

Earlier today President Bush vetoed H.R. 6331. This afternoon, however, both chambers of Congress voted overwhelmingly to override the veto--the House by a vote of 383-41 and the Senate by a vote of 70-26—meaning that the legislation has now become law.

“The enactment of H.R. 6331 marks a tremendous victory for the medical specialty of anesthesiology and all of organized medicine,” said ASA President Jeffrey L. Apfelbaum, M.D. “Anesthesiologists help make modern medicine possible, and this new law will help ensure seniors’ access to their life-saving medical care.”

The bill includes many critical Medicare provisions, several of which are vital to anesthesiology. Of particular importance, the legislation:

Blocks Medicare payment cuts for 18 months through December 31, 2009 and provides a 1.1% positive Medicare payment update for 2009. The bill’s 18-month fix provides time for Congress to develop an alternative update mechanism to address the additional Medicare payment cuts still projected for 2010 and beyond.
Restores full Medicare payment to anesthesiology teaching programs beginning in 2010 by including the language of S. 2056, authored by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), with bipartisan cosponsorship from 29 additional Senators, as well as H.R. 2053, authored by Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) and cosponsored by 127 additional Representatives.
Extends the 1.0 floor on the work GPCI through December 31, 2009.
Increases the PQRI bonus to 2.0% for 2009 and 2010 for physicians who choose to participate in the program.

ASA applauds Ways and Means Committee chair Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Energy and Commerce Committee chair John Dingell (D-MI) for authoring H.R. 6331, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) for moving the bill through the House. On the Senate side, ASA is extremely grateful for the leadership of Sens. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Max Baucus (D-MT). ASA also sincerely appreciates Sen. Rockefeller, Sen. Kyl, Rep. Becerra, and the 157 other Members of Congress who worked to ensure the continued viability of anesthesiology teaching programs by supporting H.R. 2053 and S. 2056 through direct sponsorship of these bills.

Further, ASA commends Component Society leaders, Key Contacts, committee members, officers, and other ASA members who contacted their lawmakers in support of the legislation. We are also grateful to the AMA and the federation of medicine for their strong efforts supporting this bill.

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