A key component of the College’s House of Delegates’ strategic plan was to develop a network of allergists throughout the United States. This program is off to a great start, and we now have designated representatives in 30 states. If you are unsure about which region your state is in, or who is your super-delegate or state delegate, check the HOD’s web page.
We rely on our delegates to “bubble up” information to College leadership from their states and regions. Most recently, our Illinois Delegate Priya Bansal, MD reported on IL House Bill 711. This initiative, the Prior Authorization Reform Act, will establish maximum timelines for urgent and nonurgent prior authorization requests. It will also ensure that prior authorization decisions are based on medical evidence and made by qualified professionals. It passed both Houses and was sent to the Illinois governor for his signature in late June.
Since our last update, the HOD has been “visiting” members throughout the country with our virtual Regional Town Hall Meetings. This is a great opportunity for those interested in advocacy to share ideas. We began the tour with the Southeast Region, then off to the West Coast Region, Intermountain and Great Lakes Regions. The New England Regional Town Hall is scheduled for August 26 and the final virtual regional town hall meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Region, is on Sept. 22.
These meetings attract small groups of allergists who share their concerns about the future of telemedicine, new E&M Coding and more. It’s a great opportunity to share your experiences and concerns and gain valuable insight from your colleagues.
While more than half of 2021 is past, we have much to look forward to for the rest of the year. Our 2021 Town Hall Meeting on Friday, Nov. 5, from 4:30 – 6:00 pm will be held during the College’s 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans. The Town Hall Meeting will feature AMA Immediate Past President Susan Bailey, MD, a College Fellow who practices in Fort Worth. Dr. Bailey’s talk will focus on Physician Leadership in Shaping the post-COVID Health System. This will be followed by a presentation titled, The Changing Paradigm in Allergy Practices – Making Advocacy Work for Us. Drs. Tania Elliott and Priya Bansal will present pro and con views, while Washington consultant Bill Finerfrock will talk about pending legislation related to the topic. The session will be moderated by HOD Recording Secretary Dr. Andrej Petrov.
