b'ACEP LAC25 HighlightsPennsylvania was well represented at the ACEPmandate and the burden of uncompensated care for Leadership and Advocacy Conference (LAC), heldemergency services, and urge the need for stability and April 27-29, 2025 in Washington, DC.More than 20sustainability for the emergency care safety net.physicians met with Pennsylvanias elected Senators, Representatives and staffers on Capitol Hill toNext years conference will be held April 26-28, 2026. advocate on issues important to you and Mark your calendars now and plan to make youryour patients.voice heard in Washington!Issues discussed with congressional staff included:The Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department (ABC-ED) Act which aims to address the boarding crisis by utilizing existing federal grant programs to help promote and expand bed tracking and capacity management systems; establishing two new models under the CMS Innovation Center that focus on 1) improving care for older adults and, 2) on improving timely acute care for individuals experiencing psychiatric crisis; and, require the Comptroller General to conduct a study on best practices for public health data systems for tracking hospital capacity and their impact on ED boarding, EMS wall times, and more. The bill is led by Rep. John Joyce, MD (R-PA) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI). The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider ProtectionReauthorization Act (H.R. 929 / S. 266) which will reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act that was originally signed into law on March 18, 2022. Action is required to ensure this landmark, first-of-its-kind law is reauthorized. Protecting Access to Lifesaving Emergency Care. Ashighlighted in the new RAND report, the combination of declines in commercial payments, the 2.83 percent Medicare PFS cut that went into effect on January 1, 2025 that remains unaddressed by Congress, and potential major changes to the Medicaid program through the upcoming budget reconciliation process that could result in millions of Americans losing access to Medicaid coverage, emergency medicine is in a uniquely challenging situation. Advocates highlighted the unique nature of EM, especially the delivery of care under the federal EMTALA 14 PACEP News | Spring 2025'