HRA Leaders Bring Electrophysiology Priorities to Capitol Hill
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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.
Representing HRA were Board Chair Dr. Mina Chung, HRS President Dr. Sana Al-Khatib, Dr. Dhanunjaya (DJ) Lakkireddy, and Dr. Rohit Mehta. Together, they brought firsthand clinical perspectives on the challenges facing patients with heart rhythm disorders and the physicians who care for them.
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Justin Beland, Rohit Mehta, Sana Al-Khatib, and Mina Chung
DJ Lakkireddy, Sana Al-Khatib, Justin Beland, Mina Chung, and Rohit Mehta
Rohit Mehta, DJ Lakkireddy, Abigail Chance (House Ways and Means Committee Majority Staff), Sana Al-Khatib, and Mina Chung
The meetings focused on HRA’s core advocacy priorities, including Medicare physician payment stability, prior authorization reform, remote monitoring policy, physician workforce challenges, and preserving patient access to specialty cardiovascular care. HRA leaders emphasized that these issues are no longer simply physician practice concerns; they increasingly affect patient access, wait times, and the long-term sustainability of community-based cardiovascular care.
The group met with staff from the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and several congressional offices with active interests in healthcare policy, including Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Representative Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC), and Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX).
Among the topics discussed were efforts to modernize Medicare physician payment policy, including the need for predictable payment updates that reflect rising practice costs and growing demands on specialty care. HRA leaders also highlighted the increasing burden of prior authorization requirements, which can delay medically necessary treatment and create barriers to timely patient care.
Discussions with House Ways and Means Committee staff included several pieces of legislation important to HRA members and the patients they serve, including the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6160), the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act (H.R. 8163), and the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. HRA leaders emphasized the importance of long-term physician payment reform and policies that reduce administrative burden while preserving access to specialty care.
Meetings with Senate Finance Committee staff focused on broader Medicare physician payment reform, prior authorization modernization, workforce concerns, and the challenges associated with maintaining access to community-based cardiovascular care in an environment of rising costs and increasing healthcare consolidation.
During the meeting with Representative Beth Van Duyne’s office, the group discussed the Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026 and the importance of expanding access to safe, lower-cost outpatient settings for appropriate cardiovascular procedures. HRA leaders noted that expanding site-of-care options can help reduce costs, increase patient choice, and improve procedural capacity for Medicare beneficiaries.
Justin Beland, Mina Chung, Rohit Mehta, DJ Lakkireddy, Eloise Nelson (Office of Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA), and Sana Al-Khatib
DJ Lakkireddy, Rep. Greg Murphy, Rohit Mehta, Mina Chung, Sana Al-Khatib, and Justin Beland
Discussing HRA's priorities with Rep. Greg Murphy
One highlight of the day was the group's meeting with Rep. Greg Murphy, the only practicing physician currently serving in Congress. Drawing on his own experience as a practicing urologist, Rep. Murphy engaged in a candid discussion about the challenges facing physicians and patients alike. HRA leaders discussed the growing administrative burdens associated with prior authorization, increasing regulatory requirements, workforce shortages, and the cumulative impact of Medicare reimbursement instability on specialty practices. The conversation also focused on ongoing consolidation within healthcare, with physicians describing how financial pressures are making it increasingly difficult for independent and community-based practices to remain viable. Participants emphasized that these trends ultimately affect patient access to care, particularly as demand for cardiovascular and electrophysiology services continues to grow. Rep. Murphy shared many of these concerns and discussed his ongoing efforts to advance physician payment reform and preserve access to high-quality care for Medicare beneficiaries.
Throughout the day, HRA representatives reinforced a consistent message: policies affecting physician payment, prior authorization, workforce sustainability, and healthcare delivery ultimately affect patients’ ability to access timely, high-quality cardiovascular care.
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HRA appreciates the time and attention provided by congressional offices and committee staff and looks forward to continuing to work with policymakers to advance solutions that improve patient access to care and strengthen the future of cardiac electrophysiology.
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