AANA Health Policy Fellowship
Arthroscopy and minimally invasive procedures rely on continuous innovation and awareness to enhance patient outcomes. Your donation goes toward important programs and initiatives, such as the AANA Health Policy Fellowship, that empower AANA members to actively engage with policymakers and health care providers so that change can continue to happen.
The AANA Health Policy Fellowship is a biennial program that helps bring awareness to the health care policy arena. The selected fellow participates in skill development and training that will ultimately serve as preparation for a leadership role in this area. The AANA Education Foundation is proud to provide support towards this program annually so that this necessary initiative can continue.
For more information about the Health Policy Fellowship or to learn about the application criteria, visit the Health Policy Fellowship page.
Congratulations to the recipient of the 2023-2025 Health Policy Fellowship: Ian S. Elliott, M.D.
"During my time as the AANA Health Policy Fellow, I have had the opportunity to participate in the creation, review and revaluation of arthroscopic and open Orthopedic Procedure CPT codes. I have worked with both the AAOS Coding, Coverage and Reimbursement Committee and the Relative Value Scale (RVS) Update Committee (RUC). These experiences have been invaluable in teaching me how orthopedic reimbursement is established, regulated and reviewed. As a member of the Advocacy Committee, I have also been a part of managing AANA’s mission to protect patient access to excellent arthroscopic musculosketal care. Through this committee I have also been selected to work on the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) update for the management of rotator cuff tears, working with leaders around the country to establish shoulder arthroscopy practice standards. I am currently involved in multiple projects on RVU optimization and physician coding strategies, and have had the opportunity to present our research at multiple national meetings including the AANA Annual Meeting and Orthopedics Today Hawaii.
I am excited for my past and future opportunities as the Health Policy Fellow. I am extremely thankful to my fellowship mentors Dr. Joyner and Dr. Stiefel, as well as the members of AANA for this great opportunity!" - Ian Savage Elliott, MD
Congratulations to the recipient of the 2022-2024 Health Policy Fellowship: Ravi S. Vaswani, M.D.
“As the Health Policy Fellow for AANA, I have had the amazing opportunity to attend many great conferences and meetings, particularly the annual Coding, Coverage and Reimbursement Committee meetings hosted by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). During these meetings, representatives from the specialty orthopaedic societies discuss and debate various topics relating to changes, updates and controversies of the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). These discussions are important as they form the basis of the AAOS’s recommendations to the American Medical Association’s CPT editorial panel, which in turn affect how orthopaedic procedures are valued and reimbursed on a national level.
I have also had the opportunity to see and help with the development process of CPT codes. In addition to this, I am part of the AANA Advocacy Committee, through which we discuss various advocacy issues relating to arthroscopy. I also attend the AANA Annual Meeting and help with advocacy-related presentations at the meeting as well. These experiences have given me an understanding of the issues that shape the regulatory environment regarding sports medicine and arthroscopy." – Ravi S. Vaswani, M.D. |
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