August 1999 AAOS Report
Fellows meet with Sen. Grassley to discuss HR 1304
AAOS members James W. Turner, MD, and Albert A. Coates, MD, both from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recently met with Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) in Washington, D.C. on July 15, to encourage him to sponsor the Senate version of H.R. 1304 - the Quality Health Care Coalition Act. This legislation would provide an antitrust exemption to allow physicians to engage in collective negotiations without violating antitrust laws. As a part of its legislative strategy, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (Association) will continue to take a proactive approach to encourage legislators to support H.R. 1304. The Association will schedule, when appropriate, "fly-ins" to Washington, D.C. where orthopaedic surgeons will meet with elected officials who may be sympathetic to advancing the health policy agenda of the orthopaedic community.
A public service phone line, (888) 812-8824, has been set up that allows AAOS members and their patients to contact their Senators and members of Congress from their state to urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 1304.