Advocacy is one of the three pillars of ASRA Pain Medicine's mission. ASRA Pain Medicine addresses this core purpose by advocating at the regulatory level in the best interest of our members and the patients they serve. (Note: ASRA Pain Medicine does not participate in political advocacy.)
The Latest Health Policy Updates
Pain Medicine Coalition Meets With Medicare Contractors on Proposed Peripheral Nerve Block Coverage Limits
Leaders from the Pain Medicine Coalition (PMC) met virtually on January 15 with representatives from several Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to discuss the proposed local coverage determination (LCD) affecting the use of peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs). The PMC is a joint advocacy effort established by ASRA Pain Medicine and the American Society of Anesthesiologists to provide responsible pain care for all patients.
During the meeting, physicians shared patient-centered examples illustrating the role of PNBs in managing complex pain conditions. These included occipital nerve blocks for patients with severe headache disorders, genicular nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation for individuals with chronic knee pain seeking alternatives to corticosteroid injections or joint replacement, and stellate ganglion blocks for patients with post-herpetic neuralgia and upper-extremity complex regional pain syndrome.
Clinicians emphasized that, for many patients, these interventions support functional recovery and the ability to participate in daily life. They underscored the diagnostic value of PNBs in confirming pain generators and guiding further treatment decisions, noting that restrictions on these procedures could limit access to appropriate follow-up care.
“The proposed LCD will disrupt and significantly limit effective, non-opioid pain management options for many patients with significant pain,” said David Provenzano, immediate past president of ASRA Pain Medicine and PMC representative, who participated in the meeting. “It is important that MACs understand the long-term impact on patients and the broader effort to advance effective, non-opioid pain care.”
The discussion is part of ongoing efforts from the pain medicine community to support appropriate Medicare coverage of PNBs, including work that resulted in the AMA’s adoption of an ASRA Pain Medicine–led resolution opposing the proposed limits.
The PMC reiterated its commitment to working collaboratively with MACs to address concerns related to use and misuse while preserving access to medically necessary care. ASRA Pain Medicine will continue to keep members informed as the process moves forward.
Established in 2024, the PMC’s purpose is to advocate for policies and standards to ensure access to physician-led, high-quality pain care. They do this work through clinical care, education addressing quality of care, access to care, public and professional education, and research. Learn more about the PMC and all of ASRA Pain Medicine’s advocacy efforts at asra.com/advocacy.
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Pain Medicine Coalition Meets With Medicare Contractors on Proposed Peripheral Nerve Block Coverage Limits
Leaders from the Pain Medicine Coalition (PMC) met virtually on January 15 with representatives from several Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to discuss the proposed local coverage determination (LCD) affecting the use of peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs). The PMC is a joint advocacy effort established by ASRA Pain Medicine and the American Society of Anesthesiologists to provide responsible pain care for all patients.
During the meeting, physicians shared patient-centered examples illustrating the role of PNBs in managing complex pain conditions. These included occipital nerve blocks for patients with severe headache disorders, genicular nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation for individuals with chronic knee pain seeking alternatives to corticosteroid injections or joint replacement, and stellate ganglion blocks for patients with post-herpetic neuralgia and upper-extremity complex regional pain syndrome.
Clinicians emphasized that, for many patients, these interventions support functional recovery and the ability to participate in daily life. They underscored the diagnostic value of PNBs in confirming pain generators and guiding further treatment decisions, noting that restrictions on these procedures could limit access to appropriate follow-up care.
“The proposed LCD will disrupt and significantly limit effective, non-opioid pain management options for many patients with significant pain,” said David Provenzano, immediate past president of ASRA Pain Medicine and PMC representative, who participated in the meeting. “It is important that MACs understand the long-term impact on patients and the broader effort to advance effective, non-opioid pain care.”
The discussion is part of ongoing efforts from the pain medicine community to support appropriate Medicare coverage of PNBs, including work that resulted in the AMA’s adoption of an ASRA Pain Medicine–led resolution opposing the proposed limits.
The PMC reiterated its commitment to working collaboratively with MACs to address concerns related to use and misuse while preserving access to medically necessary care. ASRA Pain Medicine will continue to keep members informed as the process moves forward.
Established in 2024, the PMC’s purpose is to advocate for policies and standards to ensure access to physician-led, high-quality pain care. They do this work through clinical care, education addressing quality of care, access to care, public and professional education, and research. Learn more about the PMC and all of ASRA Pain Medicine’s advocacy efforts at asra.com/advocacy.
Pain Medicine Coalition
ASRA Pain Medicine and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) established the Pain Medicine Coalition (PMC) in 2024 to advance the common goals of the pain medicine community and to advocate for responsible pain care for all patients. The International Pain & Spine Intervention Society (IPSIS) and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) are also members of the coalition. Its purpose is to develop, monitor, and advocate for responsible health care policy for people who experience both acute and chronic pain and the physicians who support them. They do their work through clinical care, education addressing quality of care, access to care, public and professional education, and research.
Read more about the Pain Medicine Coalition:
ASA and ASRA Pain Medicine: Speaking With One Voice
President’s Message: The Power of ASRA Pain Medicine Volunteers
Are You a Member of AMA?
The American Medical Association (AMA) is the nation's largest physician organization and works to advocate for key issues that matter in your practice such as prior authorization, Medicare reform, promoting physician-led work, and more. ASRA Pain Medicine works with the AMA to advocate for the issues that matter in your practice with representation in the AMA House of Delegates, the Relative Value Scale Update Committee, and the Current Procedural Terminology Committees. ASRA Pain Medicine provides expert information and testimony specific to regional anesthesia and acute and chronic pain.
Learn more about the benefits of membership in AMA.
Read the latest AMA news and sign up for news alerts at ama-assn.org.
Practice Management
Find more health policy information in our Practice Management Resource Center.