In 2022, midterm elections and partisan gridlock will loom over the congressional agenda. While some healthcare items may have an opportunity to be addressed early, such as clinical labor cuts or an attempt to extend the sequester moratorium through the rest of 2022, many in Congress are already focused on the November elections.
Democrats currently control the House (221-212) and the Senate is 50-50 in composition (50 Republicans, 48 Democrats with 2 Independents who caucus with Democrats), but with such tight margins, there is a potential for both chambers to flip. Members in the U.S. House of Representatives serve two-year terms, with every seat up for election in 2022. Already, 41 current members of the House have announced they will not run for re-election. In the Senate, 34 seats are up in this year’s election and six Senators have already announced that they will retire at the end of this congressional session.
The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) is fortunate to enjoy good relationships on both sides of the aisle, and there are opportunities for ACR members to play a leading role in building the College’s policy agenda and engaging with congressional members in their districts. This will be vitally important through the 2022 election cycle.
Building off a successful 2021 in which ACR-led advocacy efforts saved ACR members more than $1 billion through 2023, The ACR will continue to lead strategic efforts across physician advocacy groups that will reinforce the message that Congress must enact permanent Medicare reimbursement reforms.
While gaps in healthcare coverage have always existed, the COVID-19 pandemic widened the gaps even more. These gaps have been acknowledged on both sides of the aisle. ACR members should be prepared to engage with their members of Congress and educate them on how radiologists can work to close these gaps and the important role radiologists play in helping to save lives.
For more information about the legislative landscape, contact Rebecca Spangler, ACR Director of Congressional Affairs, or Megan Marcinko, ACR Director of Government Relations.