VASPS/ASPS Advocacy Updates
The General Assembly convenes each year on the second Wednesday in January. In even-numbered years, the session is held for 60 days. In odd-numbered years, the session is held for 30 days (although frequently extended to 45 days).
2023
April
Coalition for Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction
As part of the overall initiative related to breast reconstruction, all local, state, and regional societies were invited to join the coalition.
Thus far, the following have elected to join: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Mountain West, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeastern, Northwest, Ohio Valley, Robert H. Ivy, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Model State Comprehensive Breast Legislation
As part of its effort to secure comprehensive breast reconstruction coverage in state law, ASPS is leading an effort to enact legislation across all 50 states and has circulated a model bill to all local, state, and regional societies for consideration.
The following have already shared their support of the legislation: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Mountain West, North Carolina, Robert H. Ivy, South Carolina, Southeastern, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
March
Scope: Dentists
Although the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons and ASPS shared significant opposition throughout the state’s session, the governor signed the bill into law that expands scope of practice for dentists to perform procedures, including injections, solely for cosmetic reasons.
Model State Comprehensive Breast Legislation
Arising from the microsurgical breast reconstructive initiative is an effort to ensure more comprehensive protections in state law. ASPS is leading an effort to enact legislation across all 50 states and has circulated a model bill to all local, state, and regional societies for consideration.
The following have already shared their support of the legislation: Florida, Mountain West, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
February
ASPS joined the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons in opposition to a bill allowing physician assistants to practice independently.
2022
September
Medicare Cuts (Federal) – ASPS joined Surgical Care Coalition comments in support of legislation that would increase the Medicare physician payments by roughly 4.5% in order to offset the mandatory reduction triggered by Medicare fee schedule budget neutrality requirements.
Presentations (State) – ASPS presented on its’ federal and state advocacy activities at the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons’ (VASPS) Annual Meeting
July
Breast Reconstruction Coverage (Federal) – Endorsed Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Fred Upton’s bipartisan, congressional-led letter to CMS urging them to reinstate coverage for breast reconstruction code, S2068, for deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP) flap procedures.
Medicine’s Advocacy Priorities (State) – VASPS and ASPS voted on advocacy proposals for the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) to focus on in the upcoming legislative year.
May
ELSA (Federal): Staff met with the following offices of Senate HELP Committee Republicans to encourage continued support of the bill and to advocate for a committee markup of the bill now that it has passed the House of Representatives:
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS)
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
- Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN)
- Representatives Neal Dunn (R-FL) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) introduced an alternate bill in the House to the original text of ELSA that would narrow the scope of treatment to just craniofacial, oral, and maxillofacial congenital anomalies
March
Scope: Optometrist (State): In collaboration with the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons (VASPS), urged the governor veto legislation that would expand the scope of optometrists.
February
Scope: NPs (State): Co-signed a letter alongside a number of other medical associations, including the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons (VASPS), the AMA, the American Academy of Family Physicians, in opposition to a bill permanently reducing the years of clinical experience necessary for nurse practitioners to practice autonomously.
Scope: Optometrists (State): Alongside the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons (VASPS), opposed companion bills that would increase the scope of optometrists and give more power to the board.
January
Scope: Optometrists (State): Alongside the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons (VASPS), opposed companion bills that would increase the scope of optometrists and give more power to the board.
2021
September
Scope: NP (State): After discovery of a social media video that depicts two NPs’ disregard for patient safety and scope of practice, as well as the lack of appropriate qualifications of the collaborating physician, ASPS began to contact the staff and physician leadership at all state plastic surgery societies to notify them of ASPS’s intent to contact their states’ policymakers with a message using the video as an opening to ask for tighter controls on non-physician practice.
ASPS and the VASPS partnered to contact all state legislators in Virginia.
March
Scope: NPs (State): The Governor of VA signed into law the legislation opposed by ASPS and the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons (VASPS) that will decrease the time NPs must spend in collaborative agreements, prior to independent practice, from five years of training to two.
February
Scope: NPs (State): Alongside the Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons (VASPS), opposed legislation that would decrease the time NPs must spend in collaborative agreements, prior to independent practice, from five years of training to two. Following passage in the legislature, later urged the governor to veto the bill, but it was signed into law on February 25
January
Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (Federal): Drafted and sent ELSA Coalition thank you letters to retiring members and ELSA sponsors, Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Denver Riggleman (R-VA), for their leadership and efforts to advance the bill in the 116th Congress