Welcome to the Practice Issues/Legislative Advocacy section of the website. This section of the website provides information on coding and coding and reimbursement, federal and state advocacy, position statements, technology literature reviews, and practice guidelines.

AANEM State Liaison Program

The State Liaison Program is the premiere training program in payor relations.  Selected participants learn how to effectively educate payors about quality electrodiagnostic medicine.  Learn more about the AANEM State Liaison Program and the 2009 State Liaisons.

Visit AANEM's Health Policy Blog, Action Potential

Visit the AANEM's Official Health Policy Blog, Action Potential , for information and discussion of coding issues, payor coverage policies, the State Liaison Program, news headlines, and draft documents.

New Webpage Tracks Electrodiagnostic Policies

Track electrodiagnostic reimbursement policies that comply with any aspect of the AANEM Recommended Policy for Electrodiagnostic Medicine and Proper Performance and Interpretation of Electrodiagnostic Studies.  Information is updated online as policies change and as staff identifies more policies that meet AANEM standards.

The AANEM has been battling to ensure that only qualified physicians are allowed to perform needle electromyography and interpret nerve conduction studies. Contribute to the AANEM Advocacy Fund to assure quality care for patients and protect your practice into the future.

The AANEM Advocacy Award recognizes extraordinary contributions by a member or non-member toward increasing public awareness or advocating to government entities or insurance companies about the role of electrodiagnostic medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of muscle and nerve disorders. To nominate someone for this award, please fill out and submit an Award Nomination Form.

Patient Advocacy

The AANEM is helping electrodiagnostic medicine (EDX) physicians fight for patient’s rights in areas including patient access to quality specialty care, such as EDX procedures. The AANEM actively advocates for patient’s rights and protections in its communications with Congress and state legislatures, as well as federal and state health agencies. One of the most useful tools for patient advocacy and reimbursement is the AANEM Recommended Policy for Electrodiagnostic Medicine. This policy was recently sent to over 300 insurance companies to assist them in drafting policies consistent with AANEM’s.

The AANEM works hard to keep its members up-to-date with the latest in coding and Medicare policy, and offers a number of valuable resources. We also devote significant time to ensuring that our members get the codes they need — and the reimbursement to which they are entitled.

Through the AANEM Policy Department and representatives to the AMA’s Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Relative Value Scale Update (RUC) Advisory Committees, the AANEM helps ensure that CPT codes and reimbursement rates accurately reflect the work performed by EDX consultants. The AANEM Policy Department also routinely reviews and comments on Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) Edits, physician work values, and proposed and final rules issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS).