Advocacy News

HRA submitted the following testimony on September 15, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health as they examine legislative proposals to reform Medicare provider payment and bolster health care cybersecurity.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a legislative hearing on September 15 examining proposals to reform Medicare physician payment and strengthen healthcare cybersecurity.

A new bipartisan bill seeks to replace the uncertainty of Medicare payment reductions and temporary interventions with a more sustainable system.

Congress has left Washington for its traditional August recess, but the work of legislating - and advocating - has not stopped. The House and Senate are spending much of August away from the Capitol, with lawmakers returning to their states and congressional districts. Although commonly called a “recess,” this period is officially designated for district and state work. Members use the time to meet with constituents, visit local organizations and, most importantly to them, co

HRA recently partnered with Relay Response to provide hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training for congressional staff on Capitol Hill.

Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA) Board Chair Mina Chung, MD, met with three members of Ohio’s congressional delegation and their staffs to advance policies supporting heart rhythm patients, cardiac emergency preparedness, and access to specialty cardiovascular care.

This month marks a historic milestone for heart rhythm care in California: for the first time, a cardiac arrhythmia ablation has been successfully performed in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC).

Prior authorization has become one of the most significant challenges facing patients and the clinicians who care for them. HRA recently held a town hall on this important topic.

HRA submitted official comments to the Office of Management and Budget on their proposed changes to research grants.

On June 4, physician leaders from Heart Rhythm Advocates met with congressional offices and key committee staff to discuss policies affecting patient access to cardiovascular and electrophysiology care.

On behalf of its members, Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA) is preparing a formal response to the NIH that emphasizes the importance of aligning research priorities with the real-world burden of disease, particularly in areas where outcomes remain poor despite available tools and scientific advances.

Medicare physician payment remains one of the most pressing policy issues facing the electrophysiology (EP) community.

February 27, 2025 -- The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA) have submitted a formal request to congressional appropriators urging $50 million in FY 2027 Labor-HHS funding to implement the HEARTS Act and calling for continued strong, sustained federal investment in NIH-supported cardiovascular research. Appropriations requests are how national priorities are translated into funding decisions. Even in years when the legislative calendar is compressed,

February 2, 2026 -- Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA), working in coordination with the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), recently submitted formal comments to the U.S. Department of Education addressing a proposed rule that could have far-reaching implications for the electrophysiology (EP) workforce and patient access to arrhythmia care. The Department’s proposal, issued under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), would significantly narrow the definition of “professional degree” for

Indiana lawmakers have decided to keep requirements for schools to have cardiac emergency response plans and defibrillators at school events. This is a win for students and families.

State legislation proposals affecting cardiac emergency preparedness, health care workforce licensing, imaging standards, and patient safety.

Heart Rhythm Advocates looks back on 2025, a year defined by clarity, momentum, and a new sense of purpose in how we advocate for patients, clinicians, and the entire EP field.

Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA) have submitted the following lette on December 3, 2025 to the Department of Education with concerns about their reinterpretation of the federal “professional degree” designation under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) regulations that could significantly affect the EP care workforce. The proposal would exclude many nursing graduate programs - particularly advanced practice and specialty tracks - from eligibility for higher federal student loan l

In a milestone decision for the electrophysiology community, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the CY 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System rule and, for the first time, approved key cardiac catheter ablation procedures for performance in ASC settings. Effective January 1, 2026, CMS has added several cornerstone EP ablation codes, including 93650, 93653, 93654, 93656, and r

On October 31, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule and associated fact sheet . This update provides an overview of the policy and payment changes most impactful to electrophysiology services. The finalized changes will take effect on January 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted. ​ Beginning in CY 2026, the PFS conversion factor (CF) will vary based on whether clinicians part