At the spring conference, Susan Flack was honored as the Distinguished Member of the Year. The following is the nomination provided by Eric Larson and Brandy Tripp.

IACPR 2023 Distinguished Member of the Year

Susan Flack

IACPR would like each year to acknowledge an individual who has made significant contributions to the state affiliate society by recognizing them as the ‘IACPR Distinguished Member of the Year’.

Please click the following link to view the fall newsletter!

IACPR Fall 2022 Newsletter.docx

Please click the link below to view the IACPR fall newsletter.

IACPR Newsletter Fall 2020 copy.pdf

Update on AACVPR Day on the Hill 2020 and IACPR Call to Action

Submitted by Susan Flack, Reimbursement/Legislative Committee Chair

Jan 27, 2020

Deb Anderson and Susan Flack will be representing IACPR as they attend AACVPR’s Day on the Hill (DOTH) Mar 2-4, 2020. The focus of our visits:

• ·         In the House of Representatives: Gain support for H.R.4838 – SOS: Sustaining Outpatient Services Act. A section in the 2015 Budget Act directs a decrease in payment for outpatient programs that choose to expand or relocate away from a hospital campus. This creates a strong disincentive for hospitals to improve patient access at a time when Medicare is encouraging increased participation in our services. H.R.4838 would exempt certain hospital outpatient services (including cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation) from these payment reductions.
• ·         In the Senate: We will inform our Senators of the House Bill, and garner support for a companion bill, expected to be introduced soon in the Senate. Senator Grassley is Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. In past DOTH appointments we have built a strong working relationship with Senator Grassley and his team. There may be a Medicare “Fix Bill” introduced in the spring. If Senator Grassley recognizes the significance of our bill, and it has strong support in the Senate, he could attach it to another bill, thereby increasing its chance of passage.

How can you help?

• 1)      Do you know of a cardiac or pulmonary rehab program being affected by this location stipulation? Is your program wanting to relocate but unable to do so due to decreased reimbursement? Email me: susan.flack@unitypoint.org  Real-life examples from their home state make a strong impact with our elected officials.
• 2)      Prior to our DOTH visit, please make sure your Congressman/woman knows about H.R.4838 and why it is important to their constituents. Several weeks ago you were encouraged to use the virtual lobbying tool on the AACVPR website to contact your representative. As of 1/27/20, 35 persons in Iowa have sent 57 messages to members in the House of Representatives. A breakdown:
• ·         Congressman King (District 4) – 31 letters
• ·         Congresswoman Axne (District 3) – 18 letters
• ·         Congressman Loebsack (District 2) – 6 letters
• ·         Congresswoman Finkenauer (District 1) – 2 letters

If you have not yet contacted your District Representative regarding H.R.4838, please do so as soon as possible. Detailed information about this issue, and contact information is available on the AACVPR website. The virtual tool is simple to use, but if you prefer you may call or fax their office. Our DOTH visits are much more productive if our Representatives are aware of our bill. Phone calls and faxes from patients and physicians are great as well. The more they receive the better!

• 3)      Stay tuned for information regarding a companion Senate bill. When introduced, we will encourage use of a virtual correspondence tool for this as well.

Please click the link below to access the IACPR Fall Newsletter for 2019. 

IACPR Newsletter Fall 2019.pdf

As you know, AACVPR held its annual Day on the Hill advocacy event earlier this month in Washington, DC. Over 75 individuals representing more than 30 states made over 150 visits to their elected officials. Many of you partook! This year, the event and some of the key elements of our advocacy efforts were captured on camera.

Please take a moment to view this DOTH video (YouTube): https://youtu.be/UaDr2a2L058

Finally, while AACVPR has made good traction in the efforts to amend 603, the advocacy doesn’t stop at Day on the Hill. Check the AACVPR website to find additional “DOTH at Home” resources. You are encouraged to visit you representatives’ home offices and advocate for change. Or contact them on-line through senate.gov or house,gov.

https://www.aacvpr.org/Advocacy/Advocacy-Day-on-the-Hill

Click the link to view: IACPR Newsletter Spring 2018.docx

Kim Eppen PT, PhD, provides a summary of the presentation she gave at the AACVPR conference in 2017, regarding outcomes in pulmonary rehabilitation.

FIFTH POST

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 Janie Knipper RN, MA, AE-C, MAACVPR, provides insight into collaborative self-management with the pulmonary rehab population. Collaborative self-management describes the combined efforts of the health care team and the patient/family to meet the needs of the patient in relation to the management of their chronic lung disease. The goal of self-management training is to empower the patient at all stages of disease.

FOURTH POST

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Janie Knipper RN, MA, AE-C, MAACVPR, provides details regarding the reasons for low reimbursement rates for pulmonary rehabilitation, what AACPVR is doing to try to improve them, and what pulmonary rehabilitation professionals need to do to help.

THIRD POST

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