"On behalf of the Endocrine Society, the world’s largest professional organization of endocrinologists, thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on your white paper on physician payment reform. Founded in 1916, the Endocrine Society represents approximately 18,000 physicians and scientists engaged in the treatment and research of endocrine disorders, such as diabetes, hypertension, infertility, obesity, osteoporosis, endocrine tumors cancers (e.g., thyroid, adrenal, pancreatic, ovarian, pituitary) and thyroid disease. Our membership includes over 11,000 clinicians who are on the front lines in treating diabetes and obesity, which are two of the most common chronic illnesses in the United States. Many of our members treat Medicare beneficiaries with these costly, chronic conditions, and making reforms to physician payment will help ensure those beneficiaries continue to have access to high-quality care. We also think it is important to acknowledge that obesity is a chronic disease, which affects many Medicare beneficiaries, and ask that you consider making this acknowledgement in the paper."
