Neuropathy Association Supports Pro-Neurology Amendment

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Your Association Supports Pro-Neurology Amendment

http://www.neuropathy.org

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) was passed by the

U.S. Senate on December 24, 2009. While it did not include Senator Amy

Klobuchar's (D-MN) neurology amendment, The Neuropathy Association will continue

to work with the American Academy of Neurology this year to advocate for its

inclusion during the reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the

health care bill.

In December 2009, The Neuropathy Association joined the American Academy of

Neurology as well as several other patient advocacy organizations, including the

Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

(ALS) Association, and Brain Injury Association of America to support the

passing of Senator Klobuchar's neurology amendment that would add neurology to

the list of specialties eligible for the primary care incentive bonuses given

out in section 5501 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The Neuropathy Association submitted a letter of support on behalf of the

peripheral neuropathy community. In addition, the Association also launched an

online advocacy campaign requesting our members to write to their senators,

showing their support for the amendment and sharing their personal experiences.

Neuropathy patients require coordinated care from a team of health care

providers, often led by neurologists, i.e. doctors with specialized training in

diagnosing, treating, and managing disorders of the brain and the nervous

system. The complexities of how this disease impacts overall patient health and

well-being put neurologists front and center in caring for patients with

neurological conditions like neuropathy, making them the principal care

providers.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act calls for a bonus for primary

care practitioners who: 1). have a specialty designation of family medicine,

internal medicine, geriatric medicine, or pediatric medicine (or an advanced

practice nurse or physician assistant); and 2). provide at least 60 percent of

their services under evaluation and management codes.

On average, neurologists, including those specializing in neuromuscular diseases

like neuropathy, provide more than 60 percent of their services via primary care

evaluation and management codes. However, because neurologists are not listed as

a designated specialty, they are not eligible for the bonus. Exclusion of

neurologists from the primary care bonus program would jeopardize patients with

often disabling peripheral neuropathy by discouraging physicians from developing

expertise in the management of their conditions and limit patients' access to

the most appropriate care.

Because H.R. 3590 did not include the neurology amendment, when passed on

December 24, 2009 by the Senate, we will continue to work with the American

Academy of Neurology to advocate for neurology's inclusion as a specialty

eligible for the primary care bonus during the reconciliation process of the

Senate and House reform bills beginning after the New Year.

Thank you to those of you who wrote to your Senators to support neurology's

inclusion. We will continue to fight on your behalf to ensure your special

health care needs are recognized and addressed.