The impact of health policy on healthcare and, specifically, orthopaedic surgery is growing. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015 repealed the former Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) payment track but opened a host of new policy initiatives that will change the way we deliver care for years to come. Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) is another example of how government policy is driving change in orthopaedics. Policy intervention in healthcare is certainly not new nor will these be the only changes we will see in the next generation of orthopaedics. Preparing for change and being a part of change are entirely different. To continue to advocate for our patients and the future of orthopaedic care, we must speak up and push for a voice in policy discussions so that we may have a hand in the policies driving care of our patients. To be a part of those discussions, we must start with a basic understanding of how policies are made and where we, as orthopaedic surgeons, can get involved. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) already does this in many ways, but there is an increasing need for residents to understand health policy and the existing efforts to promote positive change for the future of orthopaedics.

In accordance with Resident Assembly Action Item #5 from the Second Resident Assembly General Assembly in Orlando, Florida on March 3, 2016, and as approved by the AAOS Council on Education to be developed by the AAOS Office of Government Relations (OGR) and Resident Assembly Health Policy Committee, these Milestones are aimed at helping members to build a better understanding of health policy and how we all can become advocates now and throughout our careers.