NeurosurgeryPAC at Work: Lobbying Your Congressional Representative

Membership

AANS Membership: Why Bother?

The year was 1983 — 10 years since I began traveling the road to become a neurosurgeon — when the letter from the American Board of Neurological Surgeons arrived, announcing I had passed to become a Diplomat of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons. As my chief said, I was now a real neurosurgeon! The sense that a huge burden had been lifted from me was a great relief. This gave me the ability to apply and become a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the spokes-organization for neurosurgery (1, 2, 4, 5). It certainly was pleasing to accomplish this and join a society of special individuals who had similar perspectives and interests. It is likely that the majority of AANS members can cite similar experiences. The overwhelming majority of AANS members view their membership as a treasured possession and guard it tenaciously. One can maintain his or her membership status by paying dues, attending an AANS Annual Meeting at least once every three years and documenting 60 credits of continuing medical…
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Washington Watch

Efforts to Repeal Flawed Medicare Physician Payment System Continue

Katie Orrico, director of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Washington, D.C., office, reviews the latest efforts being made to educate legislators about how escalating permanent-payment-reform costs could impact seniors’ and disabled citizens’ continued access to care.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) continue to urge Congress to repeal the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) system. If Congress fails to act, neurosurgeons face a 27.4 percent reimbursement cut on Jan. 1, 2012. Joining with others in organized medicine, including the Alliance of Specialty Medicine and the American Medical Association (AMA), the AANS and CNS are urging the Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction — aka the “supercommittee” — to include a full repeal of the SGR in its final legislative recommendations, due to be unveiled by Nov. 23, 2011.
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CSNS Report

The CSNS: Serving a Vital Function for all Neurosurgeons

Deborah L. Benzil, MD, FAANS, FACS, Chair of CSNS— Right now, the socioeconomic stress on each and every neurosurgeon — private practice and academic, solo practitioner/group practice/hospital employee/or multispecialty group, male or female, resident or retired — is greater than ever. More than 19 percent of all neurosurgeons settle or close a malpractice case each year (the highest of any specialty). The rise in physician payments has been below the cost of living for the last three years, with only those in multispecialty groups coming close to keeping up with inflation. RUC and CMS controversies tear at the fabric of the long-established system of determining the Medicare fee schedules for all physicians. There is a dramatic decline in resident work hours as well as in available GME funding.
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