So many times I am asked why I am so interested in advocacy? There are so many reasons, but mostly it is just an interest of mine that started a few years back when some legislation was going to impact a family member and I got involved through another medical organization. I saw how fighting, standing up and having your voice heard could sometimes have life altering impact. Fast forward a few years and AAOE was accepting new members to its Advocacy Council I sat on my first call and was overwhelmed and terrified by the end of it because I felt so out of my league hearing these people talk and how they knew so much and abbreviations and bill numbers and senators names and on and on my head spun and I thought “Meg, this may not be for you”. Then I thought back to the time I did make a change and how that felt overwhelming as well, but the outcome outweighed every fear I pushed forward then so I would do the same this time.
Now it is several years later, and I continue to serve on Advocacy Council for AAOE as well as stick very close to the NYSSOS and their lobbyist and sign on to every grass roots bill that will affect me, my practice or my daily life. Most don’t realize the impact the local level of legislation that is most important to your daily life. Sure, the Presidential election has its influences but direct impacts will come from closer to home. For example, your local town council is who will issue building permits for that ASC you’re planning for next quarter, paying attention to zoning changes that may be coming down the pike and advocating to change them or keep them as is could be in the best interest of your build.
Here in NY, our legislation has been used to draft federal legislation on several occasions most recently Surprise Billing and although the federal bill has added much to it the original architecture of it came from our already approved bill. Being able to speak to federal legislators while that was under consideration with that local knowledge gave me a leg up getting into meetings with legislators or their aides and being more at ease in the conversation when the time came.
These days elections are getting narrower and narrower which means that one person or small groups of people can now tip the scales in one direction or another. This goes the same for legislation and advocacy. Healthcare remains one of the most regulated sectors of the American economy and not likely to change anytime soon. Meaning the smallest grassroots advocacy is needed to ensure that important legislation is either stopped, passed or amended in our favor. Medical PACs are notoriously low on funding which is why we rely so heavily on Societies and the grassroots lobby to get the message out either through letter writing campaigns, social media campaigns or good old fashion boots on the ground. Some competitors have even begun to join forces in the area of advocacy to get a better seat at the table for the betterment of our industry.
No matter which side of the aisle you sit, Advocacy is about having your voice heard and making a change in the policies that will affect our practices.
Keep an eye out for upcoming letter writing campaigns so you can have your say on what happens here in NY. As always, if you ever have a question or want to be more involved with NYS Bones, please never hesitate to reach out.