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Health Policy Communication Workgroup

Blog

More info on the Hospital Practice Handbook Project (HHP). For all the blog articles, see our Blogger hosted blog at https://blog01.thehospitalhandbook.com/

Health Policy Communication Workgroup

Megan Gale

last updated 3.03.2025

logo for SOHHA’s Health Policy Communication Workgroup. Bubble graphics of people communicating by letter, phone, and laptop video call. Faded background image of cursive writing on paper.

SOHHA’s Health Policy (Communication) Workgroup

This workgroup was established in the summer of 2023 by founding board member Paul Magee.

Workgroup’s Mission:

This workgroup’s mission is to communicate about health policies that affect our work as clinicians and programs in the U.S. healthcare system setting. The workgroup has a focus on policy that affects patient access to care.

 

Works/Resources or Events in Progress in 2024-2025 from this Workgroup

In summer 2024, the SOHHA Health Policy Workgroup creatied short educational/informational pdfs with talking points about [HR 3133] “Acupuncture for Our Seniors” for the audience of

  1. healthcare system-based acupuncturist clinicians and

  2. healthcare system admin/public affairs

These short educational publications aim to succinctly communicate what the federal bill is, how it improves patient access to care, how it helps overcome the current barriers and workarounds with Medicare reimbursement for services, and other federal programs it may affect.

(1) The info paper for LAc clinicians working in healthcare system settings helps them better communicate to their line of management about this and how it will affect their programs and current Medicare reimbursement issues.

(2) The paper for hospital administrators focuses on their perspective of this topic and gives them the succinct info and references they need when they are developing their own talking points on this and related topics for their organization.

These papers will soon be available as free PDF downloads on our website. This landing page will have info on the paper(s) when they are published and available for download, etc (button below):

SOHHA Health Policy Workgroup public events: August 2024

logo for the Issues in Hospital-Based Practice webinar series. Graphic is a photo of a wooden walking bridge over river with rapids. Fall foliage.

2025 Live Virtual Sessions on

“Medicare and Healthcare System-Based LAcs: Current Issues, Barriers, Lessons Learned, and Success Stories”

This presentation series is specific for acupuncturist clinicians and program managers working in healthcare system-based practice in the U.S. and those who support these services being available to patients in this setting.

Healthcare system-based practice = working in a facility organization that is accredited by or eligible for accreditation by the Joint Commission (wide range from county clinics to academic medical centers, federal and civilian settings)

The structure of this live event is a presentation followed by a Q&A or community discussion
This is part of the "Issues in Hospital-Based Practice" webinar series.

Presentation(s) may include

  • what current coverage is

  • what current known issues and barriers are

  • current lessons learned, solutions, or advice from the community about issues

  • sharing any success stories

  • What role does "Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act" from Rep. Judy Chu (CA) and its current bill iteration play in overcoming some of the past and current barriers (workarounds, denials, etc.)

  • Includes notes about important documentation considerations for LAcs when documenting to Medicare standard(s).

Image of a laptop open for a generic video call with a ceramic mub on the left-hand side of the laptop. Laptop placed on a wooden table.

logo of a lightbulb with colored circles of varying sizes and colors. Some circles inside the lightbulb vaguely represent a human shape. Title says "Pain Collaborative to Advance Equitable Value-Based Solutions."

logo for the Pain Collaborative to Advance Equitable Value-Based Solutions. On the left hand side is a light bulb graphic.

Participating in the Pain Collaborative to Advance Equitable Value-Based Solutions

In spring 2024, we (SOHHA) accepted the invitation to join the Pain Collaborative to Advance Equitable Value-Based Solutions, directed by Amy Goldstein. The Collaborative’s mission is to “expedite access to quality whole health care for individuals living with pain by fostering meaningful collaboration among diverse stakeholders and promoting innovative, equitable, and evidence-based solutions.” This is a collaborative of a variety of organizations and individuals across the U.S. The collaborative “are leaders, innovators, catalyzers for change, and subject matter experts who agree that deeper collaboration will expedite access to quality pain care.