June 2025 LUGPA Fly-In Recap:

Advocating for Independent Urology During a Pivotal Time

Thank you to all the LUGPA members who traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in our June 2025 Fly-In. Your time, energy, and commitment to advancing the voice of independent urology made a powerful impression on lawmakers and staff. Through your direct engagement, you helped demonstrate that independent physicians are not only providers of high-quality care but also critical advocates for patient access, competition, and innovation in our healthcare system.

Over the course of two tightly scheduled days, LUGPA’s leaders held 21 meetings with congressional offices, including key members of the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Senate Finance Committee. These meetings reinforced our legislative agenda and underscored the urgent need for reforms that will stabilize physician reimbursement, strengthen the urology workforce, and preserve patient access to in-office treatments and services.

This year’s Fly-In took place against a particularly turbulent political backdrop. With Congress consumed by negotiations over a sweeping House-passed reconciliation package, many lawmakers were pulled into extended floor debates, markups, and closed-door meetings. Despite the scheduling challenges this created, our delegation was able to secure meaningful time with policymakers and senior staff. These conversations were critical to ensuring that the needs of independent specialists remain a visible and urgent part of the post-reconciliation legislative agenda.

During our meetings, LUGPA members shared firsthand insights on the real-world impact of Medicare reimbursement instability, growing workforce shortages, and barriers to care created by payer consolidation and policy inconsistencies. Through these personal stories and policy discussions, we delivered a clear message: independent physicians must be supported through thoughtful, targeted reforms that prioritize access, sustainability, and innovation.

Below is a summary of the key policy issues discussed during the Fly-In and how lawmakers responded to our advocacy.

Key Advocacy Priorities

1. Stabilizing Medicare Physician Reimbursement
H.R. 879 – Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stability Act
LUGPA urged lawmakers to support this bipartisan legislation, which would:

Prevent the 2.83% Medicare reimbursement cut that took effect on January 1, 2025
Provide a 2% positive update to account for inflation
Lay the groundwork for long-term structural reform, including annual inflation-based updates and an end to budget neutrality penalties

LUGPA’s relentless efforts, including direct engagement with legislators, also successfully influenced the inclusion of a 2.5% PFS conversion factor increase in H.R. 1, overcoming Senate Byrd Bath challenges. While this adjustment offers immediate support, comprehensive long-term reform remains essential to ensure stability and sustainability. LUGPA played a key role in advocating for this provision, most recently raising the issue during our June fly-in on Capitol Hill.

Why It Matters:
Without immediate action, continued reimbursement cuts jeopardize the financial stability of independent practices and threaten patient access to timely, high-quality care.

2. Restoring In-Office Medication Dispensing Rights
H.R. 2484 – Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act
This legislation would restore physicians' ability to mail Medicare Part D medications to patients. This critical flexibility was instrumental during the pandemic, particularly for those with mobility, transportation, or caregiving challenges.

Key provisions include:

Allowing physician delivery and caregiver pickup of medications
Reinstating oversight and safety measures
Directing a GAO study to assess the policy’s impact

Why It Matters:
Patients shouldn’t face delays or barriers to accessing prescribed therapies due to narrow interpretations of the in-office ancillary services exception (IOASE). This bill ensures continued access to needed medications while maintaining safeguards.

3. Protecting Access to Physician-Administered Drugs
LUGPA also advocated for the Protecting Patient Access to Cancer and Complex Therapies Act, which addresses the negative impact of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Medicare drug price negotiation provisions.

Specifically, this legislation would:

Preserve the ASP+6% reimbursement structure for providers
Shift the rebate responsibility to pharmaceutical manufacturers, rather than reducing provider payments
Protect patient access to critical treatments without increasing costs to patients or taxpayers

LUGPA played a key role in advancing this legislation by providing detailed policy and clinical insights to congressional offices and helping secure co-sponsors. During our fly-in, LUGPA representatives met with Representative Gray’s staff and shared information highlighting the bill’s importance to independent practices and the patients they serve.

Why It Matters:
Independent practices cannot sustain delivery of Part B therapies if reimbursed below acquisition cost. This budget-neutral solution ensures continued access to life-saving treatments while avoiding further hospital-based consolidation.

4. Advancing Site-Neutral Payment Reform
LUGPA continues to champion site-neutral payment policies that ensure fair reimbursement for identical services, regardless of where they are delivered.

Why It Matters:
Current payment disparities between hospital outpatient departments and physician offices distort the market, drive unnecessary consolidation, and increase costs. Site-neutral reforms support patient choice, strengthen independent practices, and promote long-term Medicare sustainability.

Meetings and Engagement

In-Person Meetings

Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC)
Committee: House Energy and Commerce Committee (Health Subcommittee)
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Committee: House Ways and Means Committee (Health Subcommittee)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Committee: Senate Finance Committee (Health Care Subcommittee)
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY)
Committee: House Ways and Means Committee
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)
Committee: Senate Finance Committee
Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL)
Committee: House Ways and Means Committee

Staff-Level Meetings

Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO)
Committee: House Education and Workforce Development, Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (Vice-Chair)
Rep. John Joyce (R-PA)
Committee: House Energy and Commerce Committee (Health Subcommittee)
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
Committee: House Energy and Commerce Committee (Health Subcommittee)
Sen. Rich McCormick (R-GA)
Committee: Committee on Foreign Affairs
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO)
Committee: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA)
Committee: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (Health Subcommittee)
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Committee: Senate Finance Committee (Health Care Subcommittee)
Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR)
Committee: House Veterans' Affairs: Subcommittees on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs; Health
Rep. Adam Gray (D-CA)
Committee: House Agriculture and Blue Dog Coalition
Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA)
Committee: House Energy and Commerce
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA)
Committee: House Ways and Means Committee
Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA)
Committee: House Energy and Commerce Committee (Health Subcommittee)
Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO)
Committee: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (Subcommittees: Health Care & Financial Services
Energy & Commerce Committee Majority Staff
Ways & Means Committee Majority Staff

Impact and Next Steps

Addressing Ongoing Challenges:
LUGPA advocates stressed the urgent need to reverse Medicare reimbursement cuts and implement sustainable payment reforms that protect the long-term viability of independent physician practices.
Building Future Opportunities:
We encouraged lawmakers to co-sponsor key legislation aligned with LUGPA’s priorities and urged the inclusion of these reforms in upcoming budget and reconciliation packages.
Preparing for the Next Phase:
Once the current reconciliation bill is resolved, healthcare legislation is expected to regain momentum. LUGPA must be prepared to re-engage quickly to ensure our priorities remain at the forefront.

Your Participation Matters

LUGPA’s June Fly-In once again demonstrated the power of direct physician advocacy in shaping federal policy. These efforts are only possible because of the dedication of our members, whose insights and leadership continue to make a difference.

We encourage all LUGPA members—and especially participants in our advocacy donor groups—to consider joining a future fly-in. Your expertise, stories, and presence on Capitol Hill give weight to our message and help ensure independent urology remains a strong voice in national healthcare policy.

If you are interested in participating in a future Washington, D.C. Fly-In, please contact Matthew Glans at [email protected].

Thank You to Our Participating Practices

The LUGPA Political Affairs Committee extends its sincere gratitude to the physicians and administrators whose time and commitment made the June Fly-In possible: