Get Involved in Advocacy Efforts
Be an advocate for otolaryngology—head and neck surgery! The AAO-HNS provides numerous opportunities for members to influence federal and state healthcare policies, communicate with elected officials, advocate for your patients, and invest in the future of your specialty. The following two sections delve into legislative grassroots advocacy and regulatory and socioeconomic activities.
Legislative Grassroots Advocacy
Support ENT PAC* (Level 1)
ENT PAC, the political action committee of the AAO-HNS, gives U.S. Academy members the chance to pool their voluntary financial contributions to collectively support Members of Congress and candidates for Congressional office who champion issues vital to our specialty. ENT PAC enhances our visibility on Capitol Hill and enables the Academy to play a key role in developing healthcare policy now and for the future.
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*Contributions to ENT PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Contributions are voluntary, and all members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal. Federal law prohibits ENT PAC from accepting contributions from foreign nationals. By law, if your contributions are made using a personal check or credit card, ENT PAC may use your contribution only to support candidates in federal elections. All corporate contributions to ENT PAC will be used for educational and administrative fees of ENT PAC, and other activities permissible under federal law. Federal law requires ENT PAC to use its best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and the name of the employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year.
Join the ENT Advocacy Network (Level 2)
The ENT Advocacy Network is a group of Academy members who take an active interest in legislation affecting otolaryngology—head and neck surgery and the surgical community. As part of the ENT Advocacy Network, our Government Affairs staff will keep you informed on vital developments in healthcare legislative policy. Our ENT Advocacy Network includes a free subscription to The ENT Advocate, a biweekly legislative e-newsletter updating members on federal and state issues affecting the specialty, and legislative “Action Alerts” that include tips on how to contact your elected officials.
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Take Part in the Key Contacts Network (Level 2)Our Key Contacts Network is a database of our members’ key legislative contacts in the states and on Capitol Hill. Joining the Key Contacts Network affords you the unique opportunity to influence healthcare policy and be an advocate for your patients, your specialty, and your livelihood. On limited occasions, our Government Affairs team may ask members of this network to use their relationships with key legislative contacts to advance an AAO-HNS legislative priority.
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Contact Federal and State Legislators (Level 2)
Become a champion of your specialty by reaching out to your federal and state lawmakers today. Write, email, phone, or visit your elected officials to voice your views on healthcare and other legislative issues critical to the specialty. Our online Advocacy Center helps you identify your state and federal legislators, view current legislative “Action Alerts,” and send emails to your elected officials.
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Regulatory and Socioeconomic Advocacy
Fill out a RUC Survey (Level 2)
Our Academy actively participates in the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) process. The RUC, a joint effort of the AMA and medical specialty societies, makes recommendations on revising and updating the resource-based relative value scale that is used by Medicare and many private payers. As part of this process, you may be asked to participate in a survey to help value a CPT code. Your work on this survey is critical in the Academy’s efforts to ensure appropriate valuation. A high survey-completion rate and thoughtful, well-informed survey responses greatly improve the probability that the Academy’s recommendations will be accepted by the RUC.
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Become an ENT Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee (ENT-CAC) Representative (Level 2)Are you interested in becoming your Medicare contractor’s CAC representative for ENT surgeons in your area? Acting as liaisons between Medicare Contractors and state and specialty societies, CACs play a pivotal role in advocating for local Medicare coverage policies that are fair and evidence-based. In every state, we seek interested members to represent otolaryngologists by participating in local CAC meetings and establishing good relationships with the Medicare Contractor Medical Directors.
