Pictured left to right are Kathy Keough, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and Dr. Guy Spinelli.
Atrius Health was well represented at the recent Capitol Hill Day annual event hosted by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). Physician groups from throughout the country descended on Washington, DC to meet with members of their respective Congressional leaders and their staff on issues of importance to physician groups.
Joining Dr. Guy Spinelli, Atrius Health Board Chair and internist at Granite Medical Group, was Kathy Keough, Director of Government Relations for Atrius Health, who works closely with AMGA staff on federal issues of concern to physician practices.
It was a busy and long day, as Dr. Spinelli and Ms. Keough met with Congressmen Michael Capuano and Richard Neal along with Congresswoman Katherine Clark as well as key health policy staff in the offices of Senators Edward Markey, Elizabeth Warren, and Congressman Seth Moulton. In addition to participating in meetings with the congressional delegation, Ms. Keough attended the Government Relations Leadership Council where she serves as chair of the group.
“AMGA’s annual Capitol Hill Day event was a terrific opportunity to educate members of Congress as well as their staff about the important work that Atrius Health is doing to improve the lives and health of our patients each day,” said Dr. Spinelli. “It is so important to meet with Congressional leaders and be able to discuss the vital role that Atrius Health plays as a leading provider of primary care, home care and hospice in Massachusetts.”
Among the issues discussed with staff members during these one-on-one meetings were:
- Asking members of Congress to assist in reducing regulatory burdens (such as face-to-face documentation requirements) for physician groups as well as home health/hospice agencies such as VNA Care;
- Ensuring that Congress preserve funding and mitigate future cuts to Medicare Advantage;
- Sharing Atrius Health’s efforts to address the opioid crisis as well as our successes as an Accountable Care Organization;
- Asking members of Congress to preserve the ability of multi-specialty medical groups to provide advanced diagnostic imaging services;
- Urging Congress to strengthen graduate medical education as a critical component to ensure access to primary care; and
- Seeking support for legislation related to enhancing and incentivizing the use of telemedicine.
“It is critically important that members of Congress, as well as their staff, hear from their constituents on issues of importance to them. It was particularly important that Dr. Spinelli was able to participate in these meetings as it demonstrates the commitment to some of the issues that were discussed during our meetings. It also ensures that Atrius Health will serve as a resource to elected officials and their staff as they weigh various bills before them,” Ms. Keough stated.
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