Opportunity to Fill Out Pledge Form at Upcoming Annual Meeting

Dear LUGPA Members,

As the 2024 LUGPA Annual Meeting approaches, I want to highlight the crucial role your support plays in advancing LUGPA’s 2025 advocacy efforts. Your contributions are more essential than ever as we work to protect and strengthen independent urology practices nationwide.

At this year’s meeting in Chicago, you’ll have the chance to contribute through our fly-in fundraiser donation card. Please discuss this initiative with your colleagues and have your donation approved and ready. If needed, you’ll also have opportunities to make your pledge online after the meeting. Your support is key to driving our advocacy mission forward.

Why Your Support Matters

LUGPA's advocacy efforts directly influence legislation and policies that impact our profession. By contributing, you help us support Members of Congress from both Republican and Democrat parties who play crucial roles on key committees and caucuses, including:

House or Senate Leadership
Senate Finance Committee
House Energy and Commerce Committee
House Ways and Means Committee
Doctors Caucus

These lawmakers are instrumental in shaping healthcare policies that affect our practices and patients. Your group's contribution, consisting of personal checks ranging from $500 to $3,300 per doctor, will be directly allocated to the campaign of one of these members. This targeted giving strategy is what makes our advocacy so effective.

Legal Compliance and Contribution Guidelines

Please note that, as required by law, these funds must come from individual physicians rather than from your group as a whole. Contributions cannot be directed to LUGPA, as we are unable to contribute to political campaigns, nor can we accept general contributions to a Political Action Committee (PAC), as LUGPA does not operate a PAC.

Why LUGPA Doesn't Have a PAC

Specific Giving Approach: PACs are designed to make small contributions to a wide range of candidates. LUGPA's giving is more focused, ensuring we support lawmakers who align closely with our objectives.
Contribution Limits: PAC contributions are capped at $5,000, which is insufficient for hosting meaningful events that can significantly impact our advocacy goals.
Effectiveness of Individual Contributions: The aggregate of individual contributions from our members creates a more substantial and impactful support base for Members of Congress.

2025 Legislative Agenda

LUGPA's 2025 legislative priorities focus on several key areas to support independent urology practices. They include advocating for sustainable physician reimbursement through Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and MACRA/MIPS reforms, pushing for site-neutral payment policies, and promoting patient access to cancer therapies and in-office dispensing of Part D medications.

Additional priorities include developing flexible reimbursement models, expanding telehealth services, addressing workforce shortages and provider wellness, supporting molecular and genetic testing, reforming Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) practices and the 340B program, streamlining Medicare Advantage prior authorization, and promoting cybersecurity and AI innovations in healthcare. These efforts aim to ensure fair compensation, improve patient care, and protect independent practices.

Additional Resources

To assist you in encouraging your colleagues to participate, we're pleased to offer our comprehensive advocacy materials: LUGPA Advocacy, Why it Matters. These resources include detailed talking points and visually engaging slides to communicate our advocacy messages effectively.

You can download the Why it Matters Outline here, and theWhy it Matters Slides here.

Get Involved

Please let us know if you'd like to send a representative from your practice to Washington, DC, for our fly-ins. These events are invaluable opportunities to meet with lawmakers and advocate directly for our cause.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or by phone at 773-502-0849.

Thank you sincerely for your ongoing support. Together, we can make significant strides in advancing our legislative agenda and protecting the future of independent urology.

Warm regards,

Matthew Glans