Regulatory, payer, and state advocacy

The American Academy of Dermatology Association advocates on issues and prioritizes work on those that are most pressing and impactful for our membership.

Other advocacy areas: (issues are listed in alphabetically and not order of priority)

Compounding: Guarding against restrictions on dermatologists’ ability to prepare, administer, and prescribe compounded medications, including buffered lidocaine.

Dermatology workforce: Working to ensure the number of dermatologists is sufficient to meet the demand of an aging and diverse population and advocating to ease the physician shortage, e.g., increase residency slots, and encourage dermatologists to practice in underserved communities.

Dermatopathology: Fighting for the rights of dermatology practices to process and/or read their own slides and to refer specimens to their dermatopathologist of choice.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Advocating for policies that further health equity and dermatology workforce diversity and decrease care disparities for skin of color and other marginalized patients.

Drug access: Minimizing or eliminating barriers to medications, including step therapy and prior authorization policies, iPLEDGE, and drug formulary requirements that force patients to switch therapies, as well as supporting policies to address rising drug prices, drug shortages, research funding, and price transparency.

Network transparency: Promoting transparency in provider networks, including ensuring adequate and accurate information about provider directories for private and public payers.

Physician-led care and scope of practice: Working with all stake holders to help appropriately define the practice of medicine, to ensure a physician-led, team-based approach to care.

Quality payments: Reforms the Quality Payment Program to increase physicians’ input and improve patient care without administrative burden.

Skin cancer prevention: Advocating for laws that promote skin cancer prevention and sun screen access.

Teledermatology: Supporting policies that facilitate the appropriate use of telehealth services according to the AADA standards to meet patient needs, particularly in underserved communities across the country.

Truth in advertising: Advocating to ensure truth in advertising that helps vulnerable populations better understand who is providing their care.

Veteran and military access: Ensuring that our nation’s military and veterans have access to the full range of dermatologic services provided by board-certified dermatologists.