Top Medical Rehabilitation Officials to Present at AMRPA's Virtual Spring Conference
Representatives from leading post-acute care associations, Congressional offices and federal agencies to discuss medical rehabilitation priorities in 2021
Washington, DC (March 4, 2021) – For the first time, the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) will host its Spring Conference & Congressional Fly-In virtually, March 15-17, 2021. AMRPA looks forward to presenting the conference this year, after the 2020 Spring Conference was canceled during the early stages of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
This annual event is a key opportunity for inpatient medical rehabilitation professionals to get up to speed on AMRPA policy priorities, hear from federal agencies — such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — and meet directly with their elected representatives to speak on behalf of the medical rehabilitation industry.
The conference will open with a presentation from Kate Beller, JD, AMRPA's executive vice president for government relations and policy development, on AMRPA’s 2021 policy priorities and key issues facing the medical rehabilitation field, including ongoing and additional pandemic relief for hospitals, the proposed IRF Review Choice Demonstration, IMPACT Act timeline "reset" and prior authorization reform. Following her presentation, attendees will learn how to prepare advocacy messages to their elected officials with representatives from AMRPA's new legislative counsel, Kristen O’Brien, JD, vice president, and Meg Gilley, MPH, director of McDermott+ Consulting.
Attendees will hear about the National Institutes of Health's rehabilitation and COVID-19 research priorities from Theresa Hayes Cruz, PhD, director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); analytical trends in inpatient rehabilitation facilities’ utilization and quality from Sam Fleming, president of AMRPA's eRehabData®; and a panel of high-level congressional staff members from the offices of U.S. Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rep. David B. McKinley (R-WV), Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) to discuss medical rehabilitation priorities for the 117th Congress and beyond.
For a unique perspective on medical rehabilitation, AMRPA is excited to welcome Cheri A. Blauwet, MD, assistant professor of physical medicine & rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, sports medicine physiatrist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, director at Kelley Adaptive Sports Research Institute and director of disability access and awareness at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. Dr. Blauwet is a patient of medical rehabilitation and will speak to the experience of clinicians with disabilities as it relates to diversity and inclusion in the health profession.
Another highlight of this year's program is a panel of experts from leading post-acute care associations, including Lane Koenig, PhD, director of research and policy at the National Association of Long-Term Care Hospitals (NALTH); Reva Singh, JD, director of advocacy and government affairs at American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), Mike Cheek; senior vice president of reimbursement policy at the American Health Care Association (AHCA); William Dombi, president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC); and Nicole Fallon, vice president of health policy and integrated services at LeadingAge.
The first day of the conference will also feature presentations from the 2020 and 2021 AMRPA Chairman's Award winners. This award allows for association-wide recognition and appreciation to U.S. Members of Congress, regulatory agency leaders, and former AMRPA leaders who have demonstrated continued support for the field of medical rehabilitation.
A key feature of the Spring Conference is attendees taking the information and strategies learned throughout the week directly to their elected officials with scheduled meetings on Capitol Hill, or this year, virtually. Following the Leadership Forum, attendees will be grouped by state or district and given the special opportunity to speak directly to their Members of Congress and/or staff members to advocate on behalf of medical rehabilitation patients everywhere.
Learn more and register to attend the AMRPA 2021 Spring Conference.
View the schedule of events or learn more about the confirmed conference speakers.
Media Contact: Julia Scott
AMRPA Marketing Coordinator
703-403-7739 | [email protected]