Once again California anesthesiologists successfully raised funds for the ASAPAC during its annual Day of Contributing Challenge, which is critically important to national-level advocacy for our specialty. However, what happens in Sacramento directly affects the day-to-day practice for anesthesiologists in California, so CSA leaders have decided to host our own DoC Challenge to help raise funds for GASPAC, CSA’s state level political action committee.
If you are a passionate advocate for anesthesiology in your home state of California, mark your calendars…..the GASPAC Day of Contributing Challenge will be held Wednesday, August 17.
As you all know, the California State Legislature has direct influence over state healthcare policy, the practice of medicine and physician reimbursement rates. As such, it is essential that CSA develop a comprehensive strategy to develop relationships with individual legislators and cultivate influence within the legislative process. To this end, CSA contracts with a talented and experienced lobbyist, invests in a professional public affairs consulting team, employs grassroots advocacy via our geographic districts, and makes financial contributions to the campaigns of legislative leaders and members of legislative committees that govern the practice and policy of medicine.
Bottom line: a robust GASPAC is key to advancing CSA’s policy priorities in the state legislature.
In addition to key contributions to legislative leaders, GASPAC resources have enabled CSA to lend significant support to an independent expenditure committee that was instrumental in the recent election of Dr. Akilah Weber to the state Assembly – one of only three physicians now in the state legislature.
To ensure the long-term health of GASPAC, CSA leaders established the process of dedicating a fraction of dues revenue to GASPAC. While the GASPAC Fix has been a success overall, the nature and rules surrounding the automatic dues contributions leave opportunity for improvement.
For example, members of academic practice groups whose departments fund their membership dues may not realize that they do not contribute to GASPAC automatically. The GASPAC DoC Challenge is a way for these members to make a personal contribution.
All CSA leaders – CSA members, board members, committee members, House of Delegates members – are all encouraged to make a minimum contribution to GASPAC of $250. The GASPAC DoC Challenge is an opportunity for members to once again join the Governor’s Club ($1000) or the Golden State Club ($500).
CSA resident members receive complimentary membership to CSA and don’t have the opportunity to make an automatic contribution to GASPAC. The GASPAC DoC Challenge is a way for resident members to support the advocacy efforts of CSA – no matter how small the dollar amount. We plan to host a resident program challenge as part of the GASPAC DoC Challenge to see which residency programs can achieve 100% participation in supporting GASPAC. Every donation counts!
Unlike federal legislation that restricts contributions to the ASAPAC to ASA members, California law allows non-CSA members to make contributions to GASPAC. The GASPAC DoC Challenge is an opportunity to engage current non-member anesthesiologists, encourage them to support CSA’s objectives via a contribution to GASPAC, and even recruit them to join the society.
California law also allows businesses to make large contributions to PACs up to $8100 per year. In the past, several practice groups have supported GASPAC with substantial contributions, including Allied Anesthesia, Newport Harbor Anesthesia, East Bay Anesthesiology Medial Group, Santa Rosa Anesthesia Medical Group and Vituity. For this GASPAC DoC Challenge, we are calling on practice groups and corporate partners to substantially support GASPAC.
All of this said, the number of individual contributions, rather than the total dollars raised, will be the primary emphasis of the GASPAC DoC Challenge for a host of reasons. CSA leaders hope to leverage the GASPAC DoC Challenge to engage as many members and non-members as possible, making whatever contribution they feel comfortable.
As we get closer to August 17, please watch for detailed information about how you can make your contribution to GASPAC and be part of CSA’s advocacy efforts.