Advocacy in Action

US House of Representatives to Vote on Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill; Help Needed to Protect NIH Funding

The US House of Representatives will vote on the House Appropriation Committee bill covering the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services. The bill funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other public health agencies. The current bill is detrimental to endocrinology and proposes inadequate funding for NIH, a 22% cut for CDC, and harmful policy riders to eliminate Title X funding and restrict fetal tissue research. The bill also proposes a major restructuring of the NIH that would consolidate the existing 27 institutes and centers to 15, with an unclear plan on existing research portfolios. The Endocrine Society is advocating for House members to oppose the bill and support a minimum of a 1% increase for non-defense discretionary funding, including the NIH, and parity with any increases for defense appropriations. It is critical that your Representative hear from you about the harms of this bill: join our campaign to share this message today.

Another powerful action you can take as endocrine science researchers and advocates is to tell us how NIH funding cuts have impacted your ability to conduct research. Please use this form to submit your stories as soon as possible and no later than Friday, July 26. These will be shared with Members of Congress to help make the case to protect NIH funding.

New ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes for Obesity to Take Effect in October

Later this year, new ICD-10 diagnosis codes for obesity, which aim to provide specificity in describing a patient’s obesity class, will take effect. Starting October 1, providers will be able to bill under three new class codes:

• E66811 - Obesity, class 1
• E66812 - Obesity, class 2
• E66813 - Obesity, class 3

ICD-10 codes, which are administered through the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), can be used by providers when diagnosing patients with certain conditions including obesity. The new codes also aim to remove the stigma that is often associated with people living with obesity. The Society has supported the creation of these codes, and we will continue to advocate for efforts to reduce weight stigma and bias.

Recent Policy Communications

• Endocrine Society Recommends Investing in Research on Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy: The Endocrine Society provided comments on the National Institutes of Health's Request for Information on NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Sexual and Gender Minority Health Research.
• Endocrine Society Urges Accurate Valuation of Evaluation and Management Services: The Endocrine Society provided comments to the sponsors of S. 4338, the Pay PCP's Act, to highlight the importance of appropriate valuation of evaluation and management services in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
• Endocrine Society Leads Effort to Oppose LHHS Appropriations Bill: The Endocrine Society led an initiative to oppose the FY 25 LHHS Appropriations bill on account of the extreme cuts to public health and biomedical research programs and the authorization of a new structure for the NIH.
• Endocrine Society Advocates for USPSTF Osteoporosis Screening Recommendations: The Endocrine Society supports the USPSTF recommendation of screening for osteoporosis to prevent osteoporotic fractures in women 65 years and older as well as postmenopausal women younger than 65 years who are at increased risk for an osteoporotic fracture.
• Endocrine Society Urges Investments in NDD Appropriations: The Endocrine Society joins over 1,000 organizations in urging Congress to both reject arbitrary and damaging funding levels for non-defense discretionary funds and to keep poison pill riders out of the spending package.