important in both legislative and regulatory matters, and member involvement is critical to advocacy. The AUA’s Public Policy Council is comprised of several committees and work groups that work to protect the interest of urologic health care professionals. Component committees of the Public Policy Council include, but are not limited to: • Coding and Reimbursement Committee (serves as urology’s representative in the area of coding, terminology development and reimbursement as well as seeks new and updated codes to ensure accurate identification of urologic diseases and procedures.). • Legislative Affairs Committee (provides feedback on the continual refinement of the federal legislative agenda and its execution; provides advice and guidance regarding new opportunities for urology’s involvement; and represents the AUA to the federal government.). • State Advocacy Committee (provides feedback on the continual refinement of the state legislative agenda and its execution; provides advice and guidance regarding new opportunities for urology’s involvement; and represents the AUA within state capitals.). • Practice Management Committee (evaluates, investigates and advises on initiatives designed to improve the overall business operations of the urology practice.). • Research Advocacy Committee (advocates for public, private and philanthropic support of urologic research; engages with urology stakeholders – including patient advocates – to ensure funding for urologic research is protected; communicates with federal and non-federal agencies to ensure urology is represented on advisory boards and strategic planning initiatives.).
13.1 AUAPAC The American Urological Association, Inc. Political Action Committee (AUAPAC) was established in late 2018 to further raise the house of urology's profile and foster relationships with members of Congress in Washington, D.C., as well as in their home districts, thereby providing opportunities to engage lawmakers and strengthen our advocacy networks. AUAPAC represents the voice and broad interests of our domestic membership, which reflects all facets of the urology community. Learn more at www. myauapac.org.
AUAnet.org
13.2 Health Policy Terms ACO: Accountable Care Organization APM: Alternative Payment Models developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to replace current payment system. ICD-10-CM: International Classification of Diseases – 10th Version – Clinical Modifications. Listing of diagnostic and procedure codes developed by the World Health Organization and modified for use in the United States medical community. MAC: Medicare Administrative Contractor (local Medicare carrier) MedPAC: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Medicare Part A: hospital, SNF, hospice coverage Medicare Part B: physician services, lab, imaging services, and office medications Medicare Part C: proper ties to Medicare advantage plans (HMO) Medicare Part D: drug coverage MIPS: Merit-based Incentive Payment System QPP: Quality Payment Program RUC: Relative Value Scale Update Committee (AMA)
13.1 Additional Resources Learn more about the many resources that are available to assist you in better understanding health policy and government advocacy by visiting www. AUAnet.org/advocacy/get-involved.
14. EARLY-CAREER JOB CHANGE Sometimes, a newly-trained urologist is lucky and finds a good fit in their first job. However, it can also be the case that the fit is not perfect. This may be realized immediately if there are glaring issues at the position but more often it is realized slowly, after years of interests and career goals not aligning to what the job offers. A change in leadership or department structure that significantly alters the job may also cause an early-career urologist to reflect on whether their current position is a good fit. Changing jobs is a BIG DEAL and is often cited as one of life’s major events that can trigger significant stress. Therefore, evaluating both external factors as well as your internal mindset is critical before making such a decision; it’s important to remember that there are challenges with any job and that no job is perfect. As you reflect on whether or not to pursue a new position, do your best to be as effective as possible in
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