Regulatory Education and Action for Patients (REAP) Semi-Annual Meeting Addresses Significant Changes to Come to Health Care Coverage in 2014

Nation's Leading Patient Advocacy Groups Address Topics Related to Coverage Expansion, Affordability Provisions, and Partnerships with Regulators

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Regulatory Education and Action for Patients (REAP) council – a coalition comprised of 61 of America's leading patient advocacy organizations, co-chaired by the National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) and Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) – convened for its semi-annual meeting this week to identify, discuss and prepare for upcoming changes that will affect health care access for patients. Featuring expert presentations from both REAP members and external specialists, the forum focused on policy matters anticipated to have the greatest potential to change access to health care in 2014 and beyond.

"NPAF established REAP over three years ago in the recognition that a unified association of patient advocates has a great opportunity to effectively communicate to policymakers the impact health delivery, coverage, cost and access has on care decisions made by the American population," said Alan Balch, CEO of NPAF. "As part of our mission to convey what impacts patients the most, we are committed to gathering leaders in patient advocacy and health policy to address these issues."

Moderated by Balch and Nancy Davenport-Ennis, founder of NPAF, the meeting featured the following speakers and presentations:

• Affordability Provisions in 2014: Tax Credits, Annual Limits and the Individual Mandate, Sara Lueck, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, and Charles Clapton, Partner, Hogan Lovells
• The Promises of Expanded Coverage in 2014: Marketplaces and Market Reforms, Mayra Alvarez, MHA, Director of Public Health Policy, HHS Office of Health Reform
• CMS  Strategy for Marketplace Outreach, Ida Kelley, Director of Partner Relations Group, CMS Office of Communications
• The FDA Patient Network, Richard Klein, Director of the Patient Liaison Program, Office of Health and Constituent Affairs, US Food and Drug Administration
• Executive Director,  Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Joe Selby, MD, MPH
• Assistant Director of National Healthcare Operations, Office of Personnel Management, Rob Shriver, JD

REAP working groups will share updates and conduct a discussion of policy priorities for the upcoming year, including:

• Patient access to Specialty Tier medications
• Medicare and Medicaid Dual-Eligibles
• Pending REAP Regulatory Action: Hospital Outpatient Proposed Rule and Physician Fee Proposed Rule: Comments Due September 6, 2013

As indicated by Davenport-Ennis, "With considerable developments in health care policy, it is an opportune time for the nation's patient advocacy groups to work toward consensus solutions on behalf of the patients we represent. As a result of this week's important discussion, we will continue to support initiatives that are most important to our patients, whose care will likely face a variety of new policy changes in upcoming years."

REAP's purpose is to communicate issues to Federal and State regulatory bodies, Congress, health care insurers and others that regulate/develop/manage and/or impact health delivery, coverage, cost and availability of services to the United States population.

National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) is a national non-profit organization providing the patient voice in improving access to, and reimbursement for, high-quality healthcare through regulatory and legislative reform at the state and federal levels. NPAF translates the experience of millions of patients who have been helped by our companion, Patient Advocate Foundation, which provides professional case management services to individuals facing barriers to healthcare access for chronic and disabling disease, medical debt crisis and employment-related issues at no cost.

SOURCE Regulatory Education and Action for Patients