Interview with Jodi Chappell Director of Health Care Policy, American Academy of Audiology
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AO/Beck: Jodi, thanks for your time today. It's a pleasure to get together with you
CHAPPELL: Hi Doug. Thanks for your time too.
AO/Beck: Jodi, please tell me, what is your position at The Academy?
CHAPPELL: I'm the Director of Health Care Policy.
AO/Beck: And how long have you been there?
CHAPPELL: I've been here since April 2002.
AO/Beck: Can we please start with a little bit about your professional background and history?
CHAPPELL: Sure. I earned my Bachelor's in Political Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio in 1995. I'm originally from Ohio and I came to Washington to pursue an internship and that led to a legislative career and lobbying. I worked for the Office of Representative Paul Gillmor, a Republican from Ohio. Following my brief time on Capitol Hill, I returned to Ohio to work for three state legislators. I returned to DC to work for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs at the Pentagon.
AO/Beck: How long were you there?
CHAPPELL: I was there for about a year and a half. I was direct support staff to the TRICARE Executive Committee which included the three service Surgeon Generals. From there I went into managed care consulting and then decided I wanted to work for providers. So I went to Smith, Bucklin & Associates Health Care Practice Group. I was there for about two and a half years. I was a lobbyist and government affairs specialist for several medical specialty groups.
AO/Beck: What's the basic goal of being a lobbyist?
CHAPPELL: Being a lobbyist involves educating public policy makers and building relationships with legislators and the Administration. The term lobbying makes it sound very glamorous. For the Academy, lobbying entails advocating for policiesthat ensure that patients are receiving quality hearing and balance services by qualified audiologists and move the profession of audiology forward. Activities include working with Members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill, working with the Department of Health and Human Services, and collaborating with other hearing health care organizations including both professional and consumer groups.
AO/Beck: In April 2002, you started with the American Academy of Audiology as the Director of Health Care Policy. Would you please tell me what that entails?
CHAPPELL: I work with the Academy's lobbyist on legislative and regulatory issues on Capitol Hill, and also staff the Academy's Reimbursement Committee on coding, billing, and payment issues. I provide analysis of health policy and legislation to determine the impact on the profession of audiology. .
AO/Beck: And this is not a position that would be unique to The Academy? I assume ASHA has a similar position as does AAO-HNS and all the other national groups?
CHAPPELL: Yes, most health care professional organizations have Washington representatives or lobbyists. In fact in the Washington Post (August, 2002) there was a break down that showed that healthcare is the top lobbying spending area.
AO/Beck: And among those, prescription drugs are one of the primary issues - is that correct?
CHAPPELL: Prescription drug coverage has received a lot of attention the last several years and the Administration and Congress will once again focus on this issue in the 108th Congress.
AO/Beck: When we talk about healthcare in general, besides prescription drugs, what are the other issues dominating right now?
CHAPPELL: Currently, Medicare Payments to physicians and health care providers is a major health care issue dominating the agenda. The 2003 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule resulted in a 4.4% cut in provider payments due to technical errors that need corrected by Congress. We are hopeful that Congress will take action early in 2003 on this issue. There is a fear that providers will drop out of the Medicare program since reimbursement levels are so low and this would directly impact patient access to quality health care. Malpractice reform also continues to be a big issue for the provider community.
AO/Beck: What are the most important issues right now as far as hearing healthcare?
CHAPPELL: Some of the hearing health care issues currently on the agenda include:
1) Achieving direct access to audiologists in the Medicare program.
2)Coverage issues pertaining to aural rehabilitation, vestibular services, and cerumen removal.
3) Increased funding for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs
4) Promoting hearing health research at the National Institutes of Health
AO/Beck: Who is working with The Academy on this?
CHAPPELL: It is increasingly important that the hearing health care community work together on issues of similar interest. There are several coalitions of hearing health care professional and consumer groups that work collaboratively on health care policy issues.
AO/Beck: Okay, well that's fine. What other issue are you working on?
CHAPPELL: The Academy is working on amending the Medicaid regulation defining a qualified audiologist using state licensure as the standard. The Academy believes that the Medicaid definition should be consistent with Medicare and should not be dependent on private-party certification. This definition change would make audiology services more accessible to Medicaid patients.
AO/Beck: How do the readers get involved in this and voice their concerns and opinions?
CHAPPELL: On The Academy website, there is a government relations page which from time to time will have action alerts, letters to write to Congress. Members of the Academy are encouraged to contact me directly to discuss issues they feel strongly about. The Academy is expanding its grassroots network to further its advocacy efforts. Audiologists and consumers are encouraged to get involved. I can be contacted at jchappell@audiology.org.
AO/BECK: Thanks Jodi. It has been a pleasure getting to know you a little bit. Sounds like you've got your hands full, so I'll let you get back to it!
CHAPPELL: Thanks Doug. I appreciate the opportunity to tell the readers a little about the work we do at The Academy.
For more information regarding the American Academy of Audiology, CLICK HERE.
CHAPPELL: Hi Doug. Thanks for your time too.
AO/Beck: Jodi, please tell me, what is your position at The Academy?
CHAPPELL: I'm the Director of Health Care Policy.
AO/Beck: And how long have you been there?
CHAPPELL: I've been here since April 2002.
AO/Beck: Can we please start with a little bit about your professional background and history?
CHAPPELL: Sure. I earned my Bachelor's in Political Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio in 1995. I'm originally from Ohio and I came to Washington to pursue an internship and that led to a legislative career and lobbying. I worked for the Office of Representative Paul Gillmor, a Republican from Ohio. Following my brief time on Capitol Hill, I returned to Ohio to work for three state legislators. I returned to DC to work for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs at the Pentagon.
AO/Beck: How long were you there?
CHAPPELL: I was there for about a year and a half. I was direct support staff to the TRICARE Executive Committee which included the three service Surgeon Generals. From there I went into managed care consulting and then decided I wanted to work for providers. So I went to Smith, Bucklin & Associates Health Care Practice Group. I was there for about two and a half years. I was a lobbyist and government affairs specialist for several medical specialty groups.
AO/Beck: What's the basic goal of being a lobbyist?
CHAPPELL: Being a lobbyist involves educating public policy makers and building relationships with legislators and the Administration. The term lobbying makes it sound very glamorous. For the Academy, lobbying entails advocating for policiesthat ensure that patients are receiving quality hearing and balance services by qualified audiologists and move the profession of audiology forward. Activities include working with Members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill, working with the Department of Health and Human Services, and collaborating with other hearing health care organizations including both professional and consumer groups.
AO/Beck: In April 2002, you started with the American Academy of Audiology as the Director of Health Care Policy. Would you please tell me what that entails?
CHAPPELL: I work with the Academy's lobbyist on legislative and regulatory issues on Capitol Hill, and also staff the Academy's Reimbursement Committee on coding, billing, and payment issues. I provide analysis of health policy and legislation to determine the impact on the profession of audiology. .
AO/Beck: And this is not a position that would be unique to The Academy? I assume ASHA has a similar position as does AAO-HNS and all the other national groups?
CHAPPELL: Yes, most health care professional organizations have Washington representatives or lobbyists. In fact in the Washington Post (August, 2002) there was a break down that showed that healthcare is the top lobbying spending area.
AO/Beck: And among those, prescription drugs are one of the primary issues - is that correct?
CHAPPELL: Prescription drug coverage has received a lot of attention the last several years and the Administration and Congress will once again focus on this issue in the 108th Congress.
AO/Beck: When we talk about healthcare in general, besides prescription drugs, what are the other issues dominating right now?
CHAPPELL: Currently, Medicare Payments to physicians and health care providers is a major health care issue dominating the agenda. The 2003 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule resulted in a 4.4% cut in provider payments due to technical errors that need corrected by Congress. We are hopeful that Congress will take action early in 2003 on this issue. There is a fear that providers will drop out of the Medicare program since reimbursement levels are so low and this would directly impact patient access to quality health care. Malpractice reform also continues to be a big issue for the provider community.
AO/Beck: What are the most important issues right now as far as hearing healthcare?
CHAPPELL: Some of the hearing health care issues currently on the agenda include:
1) Achieving direct access to audiologists in the Medicare program.
2)Coverage issues pertaining to aural rehabilitation, vestibular services, and cerumen removal.
3) Increased funding for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs
4) Promoting hearing health research at the National Institutes of Health
AO/Beck: Who is working with The Academy on this?
CHAPPELL: It is increasingly important that the hearing health care community work together on issues of similar interest. There are several coalitions of hearing health care professional and consumer groups that work collaboratively on health care policy issues.
AO/Beck: Okay, well that's fine. What other issue are you working on?
CHAPPELL: The Academy is working on amending the Medicaid regulation defining a qualified audiologist using state licensure as the standard. The Academy believes that the Medicaid definition should be consistent with Medicare and should not be dependent on private-party certification. This definition change would make audiology services more accessible to Medicaid patients.
AO/Beck: How do the readers get involved in this and voice their concerns and opinions?
CHAPPELL: On The Academy website, there is a government relations page which from time to time will have action alerts, letters to write to Congress. Members of the Academy are encouraged to contact me directly to discuss issues they feel strongly about. The Academy is expanding its grassroots network to further its advocacy efforts. Audiologists and consumers are encouraged to get involved. I can be contacted at jchappell@audiology.org.
AO/BECK: Thanks Jodi. It has been a pleasure getting to know you a little bit. Sounds like you've got your hands full, so I'll let you get back to it!
CHAPPELL: Thanks Doug. I appreciate the opportunity to tell the readers a little about the work we do at The Academy.
For more information regarding the American Academy of Audiology, CLICK HERE.
