What advocacy PAC is best for anesthesiology-Pain Mgmt?

[Stimulate]

I am getting hit up left and right to contribute to PACs. I completely agree with contributing and being involved in the political process.

I have two major causes that I would like to contribute toward:
1) Keeping CRNAs out of chronic pain management
2) Increasing reimbursement for chronic pain management.

Many in the anesthesiology-pain community are grumbling about a perceived lack of effort on the part of the American Society of Anesthesiologists regarding chronic Pain Management. What are your thoughts on ASA and pain management? Did ASA drop the ball on protecting the field of pain management?

What PAC (s) do the members of this forum feel best represent the interests of chronic pain management, especially keeping in mind the CRNA issue?

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[Mister Mxyzptlk]

IMHO ASIPP has been the most effective. The problem with ASIPP is that Lax pretty much drives the agenda, and I don't always agree with his priorities. He spends a lot of time, energy, and money fighting for ASCs, but not all ASIPP members own ASCs. There are also a lot of other entities that contribute to political lobbying for ASCs (e.g., there are dozens of ASC management companies, each of which has more money than ASIPP), but not many entities fighting on behalf of pain doctors. I think we should keep it pure - fight for what's good for our specialty and leave the ASCs to the people who own them.

I happen to be invested in a surgical specialty hospital and when I asked ASIPP for political help a few years ago they blew it off. So my political contributions have been going towards specialty hospital PACs and friendly politicians instead of ASIPP's PAC for the past few years.

I think ASA does work on behalf of pain management but they get little credit for it. They helped fight bundling of 76005 a few years ago (although they subsequently took far too much credit for it). I also think that since pain docs tend to not join ASA they have no right to complain when they don't get as much backing as they might like.

 

[Doctodd]

Has the ASA and/or ASIPP's job to fight for ASC's and pain reimbursement been effective in anyone's opinion? Isnt pain being cut the most at ASC's(about 20%)? Please someone correct me if im wrong.

T

 

[Aether2000]

ASC ownership is a business venture and has nothing to do with providing medical care to pain patients. Hospital or office settings or use of an ASC without direct ownership provide adequate venues for interventional pain without the self dealing that inevitably comes with ASC ownership. I agree the ASC organizations would be the best vehicle for servicing the needs of the financial investors in ASCs rather than an interventional pain society or the ASA. If pain societies are in the business of spending members monies for lobbying for their ASC business ventures, then why not also lobby for physician owned hospitals or physician owned radiology centers or physician owned Vax-D centers? Pain societies should represent first and foremost the physicians treating pain patients and not financial investors in a business venture. To do so is short sighted and causes the public and legislators to view interventional pain as a money grabbing profession more concerned about protecting their financial investments than the care of patients.

 

[Stimulate]

ASC ownership is a business venture and has nothing to do with providing medical care to pain patients. Hospital or office settings or use of an ASC without direct ownership provide adequate venues for interventional pain without the self dealing that inevitably comes with ASC ownership. I agree the ASC organizations would be the best vehicle for servicing the needs of the financial investors in ASCs rather than an interventional pain society or the ASA. If pain societies are in the business of spending members monies for lobbying for their ASC business ventures, then why not also lobby for physician owned hospitals or physician owned radiology centers or physician owned Vax-D centers? Pain societies should represent first and foremost the physicians treating pain patients and not financial investors in a business venture. To do so is short sighted and causes the public and legislators to view interventional pain as a money grabbing profession more concerned about protecting their financial investments than the care of patients.

That being said, where do you think the best place to contribute is? As far as advocating for keeping mid-level providers from practicing with inferior training, keeping reimbursement (ASC or not) adequate, etc...

 

[Aether2000]

ASIPP is the only viable PAC for interventional pain medicine at this time. Although the ASA is making a very very late entry into pain medicine issues, they may prove to be a more powerful voice than other organizations with respect to the issue of CRNAs practicing pain medicine. Many organizations are notably silent on this issue.