Congratulations to the Michigan Rheumatism Society for achieving another milestone. We are so grateful to the members and staff that participated in the 1st Annual MRS Advocacy Day on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. We began the day with a briefing from lobbyists, Brian Henderson, Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations and Scott Kempa, Michigan State Medical Society. We held face to face meetings with our legislators/staff throughout the day to educate them on timely topics for Rheumatology practices and patients. Our discussions included:
1. Thanking them for the recent passage of the Prior Authorization Bill that MRS, along with the “Health Can’t Wait Coalition” has been working on for over two years.
2. Step Therapy was taken out of the “Prior Authorization” bill. Thirty-three (33) states around the country have already been successful in passing legislation reforming Step Therapy. We discussed that these reforms are needed now in Michigan and how our practices and patients are affected without it.
3. Co-Pay Accumulators House Bill 4353 ensures that all copay assistance counts by requiring that all payments made by or on behalf of the insured go toward a patient’s deductible and out- of-pocket costs. HB 4353 passed the Michigan House with overwhelming bi-partisan support and is currently awaiting further action in the Senate Health Policy & Human Services Committee.
Thank you to the following for representing MRS and educating our Legislators:
Tim Laing, MD (Retired- University of Michigan) – Ann Arbor
Amar Majjhoo, MD – Shores Rheumatology – Saint Clair Shores
Great Lakes Center of Rheumatology – Lansing
Antonio Giannelli, PA-C
Joshua June, DO
Brooke Warner – Office Manager
Rochester Rheumatology Clinic & Infusion Center – Rochester Hills
Nikolina Berishaj – Office Manager
Delfin Santos, MD
We look forward to holding this event again in 2023!
