Dear colleagues:

This year the influential and trusted voice for dermatology, the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), played an active role in advocating for the needs of dermatologists and their patients. Through the hard work and dedication of both members and staff, we made significant strides. As our health care system continues to be embroiled in intense debates, the AADA remains actively engaged with the issues that are affecting dermatologists and their patients.

To do this more efficiently, the Council on Government Affairs and Health Policy implemented changes to its structure in 2011. The Access to Dermatologic Care Committee now oversees the Workforce Task Force and Telemedicine Task Force. The Practice Management Committee will now oversee the Electronic Health Records Task Force and the Business and Operations Support Task Force. These changes will help the Academy to provide members with more support as they cope with an increasing regulatory burden.

One key area of support is reimbursement. The Academy continued the fight in 2011 to secure a permanent fix for the flawed sustainable growth rate formula, which creates doubt about payment levels from Medicare resultin in a tremendous burden on dermatology practices. We worked with other medical societies, lobbying Congress to take the necessary steps to eliminate the SGR. Unfortunately, 2011 ended with a mere two-month fix to the problem, followed early in 2012 by a fix for the remainder of the year. We will continue to advocate for a permanent fix in 2012. We will also continue our work to ensure that private payers appropriately value and reimburse dermatologic services.

A Health Policy Retreat held June 10–11, 2011, in Washington D.C., allowed members of the AADA and key council and committee members to discuss the future of health care delivery and physician payment and its potential impact on dermatology. Participants also considered how the AADA could influence the changing environment for its members and help them prepare for change. The retreat confirmed that the Academy is on the right track with many strategic initiatives, but also made clear that a renewed focus on innovative ideas for payment and delivery reform was warranted.

The AADA also addressed ongoing drug shortage issues, as members faced challenges in accessing drugs such as cantharadin, lidocaine, and tetracycline. The organization worked closely with the FDA to identify reasons for and approaches to the problem. The FDA issued a report highlighting a number of agency processes that could be improved to help mitigate the problem, and the AADA responded to the report with comments, detailing dermatology-specific drug shortages.

To ensure that members know what’s happening on the advocacy front and how it affects them, the Academy also launched Dermatology Advocate, a biweekly e-newsletter, in 2011.

Finally, SkinPAC, the Academy’s political action committee, had a record-breaking year for member donations, raising more than $455,000 from more than 1,260 AADA members. Thank you!

Please refer to the links above for more information on the activities of the Council on Government Affairs and Health Policy throughout 2011.

Sincerely,

Jack S. Resneck Jr., MD, FAAD
Chair, Council on Government Affairs, Health Policy and Practice