At AACE, we are committed to improving endocrine healthcare and advocating for better patient outcomes. Our efforts focus on ensuring access to comprehensive care, improving health policies, and empowering our members to become effective advocates.
Stay informed and engaged by exploring our latest advocacy updates.
2024
JULY
July 2024
Comments to CMS concerning IPAY2027 of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (MDPN)
On July 1, 2024, AACE President Dr. Susan L. Samson sent a letter to CMS Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare, Dr. Meena Seshamani, to provide comments and recommendations for consideration in the upcoming Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (MDPN). CMS recently released draft guidance on how the agency will implement the newly created MDPN Program (part of the Inflation Reduction Act), which has significant impacts on the future of Medicare and access to medicines that beneficiaries need.
JUNE
June 2024
American Medical Association (AMA) Meeting of the House of Delegates
AACE CEO, Johnnie White, Dr. Jonathan Leffert and Dr. Pavan Chava attended the American Medical Association (AMA) Meeting of the House of Delegates in June 2024. Dr. Leffert and Dr. Chava provided testimonies on important issues within endocrinology. Dr. Leffert provided testimony supporting the Council of Public Health’s report on looking at BMI and other alternative measures for diagnosing obesity. Dr. Chava provided testimony calling on the AMA to support efforts to have over the counter biotin supplements include a clear disclaimer on bottles that states the possibility of lab test interference. These advocacy efforts underscore AACE’s dedication to influencing public health policies for the betterment of patient care. AACE is also a member of the Endocrine Section Council along with 2 sister organizations, Endocrine Society and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, which allows AACE to represent endocrine interests on a larger scale with some of the most instrumental medical policy makers in the world. The next meeting of the AMA House of Delegates will be held in November, 2024.
Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act/H.R. 766
Through a request from the Healthcare Leadership Council and Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, AACE signed on to a stakeholder letter along with fifty signatories to urge the Senate to hotline H.R. 766, the “Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act” as passed in the House before the August 2023 recess.
Diabetes Management Collaborative (DMC) on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT)
AACE President Dr. Susan L. Samson received and accepted an invitation from the CDC's Dr. Holliday inviting AACE to be a founding member of the Diabetes Management Collaborative (DMC) on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT). The DMC formally launched a 2-day in person forum in Chicago on June 13-14, 2024 and Dr. Sethu K. Reddy, AACE immediate past president, participated.
MAY
May 2024
U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drug Advisory Committee (EMDAC) regarding icodec, Novo Nordisk’s one-per-week insulin
AACE Immediate Past President Dr. Sethu K. Reddy, AACE Board member Dr. William Biggs and AACE member Dr. Janet McGill participated in a meeting on May 24th with the FDA’s Advisory Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drug Advisory Committee (EMDAC) regarding Novo Nordisk’s one-per-week insulin to review the clinical trial data submitted for investigational once-weekly basal insulin icodec Biologics License Application (BLA) to support the approval of insulin icodec use in diabetes patients. AACE President Dr. Susan Samson also sent a letter to the FDA expressing the continued clinical need to improve adherence to insulin administration safely and to reduce under-insulinization in insulin-requiring individuals.
Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) - urging the Biden Administration to provide coverage for comprehensive obesity care
AACE joined the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) in urging the Biden Administration to provide coverage for comprehensive obesity care, including adding obesity into the category of complex, chronic disease states under the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health guidelines, providing Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage of obesity medications, and expanding the type of qualified healthcare and community providers and evidence-based community programs that can deliver intensive behavioral therapy (IBT) under Medicare Part B.
APRIL
April 2024
Resolution by Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-03) recognizing the importance of DEI efforts in medical education
AACE signed-on to support a resolution introduced by Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-03) recognizing the importance of DEI efforts in medical education as a way of pushing back against harmful legislation.
Participation in CMS's Medicare Evidence Development Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) meeting re: Clinical end points for trials of diabetes devices
AACE provided comments and participated in the public portion of CMS's Medicare Evidence Development Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) meeting, convened to give the agency input on appropriate clinical end points for trials of diabetes devices used by people with type 1 or insulin-dependent type 2, specifically 21 end points. Dr. Sethu K. Reddy and Dr. Rifka Schulman-Rosenbaum participated in the forum and gave a presentation.
H.R. 7725 EDUCATE Act
AACE agreed to sign on to an opposition letter with the American College of Physicians to Representative Greg Murphy, co-sponsor of H.R. 7725 the Embracing Anti-Discrimination, Unbiased Curricula, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act. Under The EDUCATE Act, medical schools must not establish, maintain, or contract with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office, or any other functional equivalent. If enacted into law, noncompliant medical schools would no longer receive federal funding or be eligible to participate in guaranteed student loan programs.
Request to CMS on the expansion of coverage to allow anti-obesity medications (AOM)
AACE signed-on to a letter initiated by the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health (PACH) requesting the expansion of coverage by CMS to allow anti-obesity medications (AOM) treatment for all people with obesity.
MARCH
March 2024
Obesity Resolution by Representative Cherfilus-McCormick to the House
AACE provided obesity resource links and endorsed the Obesity Resolution submitted in the House on March 1, 2024, by Representative Cherfilus-McCormick. The endorsement included a quote by AACE President Dr. Susan L. Samson that ”the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology has been a fierce advocate for recognition of obesity as a chronic disease and has worked tirelessly to address stigma and bias in this area. We, at AACE, wholeheartedly endorse Representative Cherfilus-McCormick’s Obesity Resolution.”