Updated at 5:00 p.m. on Sept. 11.

American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
This association represents 36,000 musculoskeletal specialists.

What They Want
AAOS supports many of the basic measures most groups want out of reform -- affordable access to quality health care -- but with a couple slants from the perspective of specialist surgeons. "There should be freedom to choose doctors and directly access specialty doctors, like orthopaedic surgeons," said Peter Mandell, chair of AAOS' council on advocacy and a surgeon in California.

AAOS supports widely discussed insurance reforms like eliminating denials based on pre-existing conditions. But the surgeons group also emphasizes the need to focus on "streamlining the insurance claims process to reduce the extra paperwork and time," Mandell said.

The association would like to see medical malpractice reform addressed in health care legislation and was encouraged by President Obama's mention of the issue in his address to Congress this week, though it is currently not part of proposed legislation.

AAOS says that if a public option is included in health care reform, it should comply with free-market principles and not be mandatory for doctors or hospitals. A public option "should be part of the overall menu of insurances that some people are talking about through the exchange, but it should be on a level playing field," Mandell said.

Deal Breakers
The association does not support the Independent Medicare Advisory Council Obama has proposed. AAOS fears the council "would divert congressional authority and make crucial health care decisions not subject to the review and approval of Congress," leading to unfair cuts in funding for specific procedures, Mandell said.

How Much They've Spent
AAOS spent about $1.1 million on lobbying activities in the first six months of 2009, according to lobbying disclosure forms. In the first half of 2008, the association spent $1.04 million on lobbying activities.

AAOS' PAC has contributed $459,500 to federal candidates and committees during the 2010 election cycle, while the group contributed about $1.7 million during the 2008 election cycle. This cycle, recipients have included House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio; House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va.; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; and the senatorial and congressional campaign committees of both parties.

The association's total revenue for 2007 was $42.5 million.

Key Players
Mandell, the chair of the group's advocacy council, has met with various lawmakers on Capitol Hill. "We are very supportive of the vast majority of the ideas that are floating around out there," Mandell said. "There are some problems. We're hoping to be able to work with [President Obama] and Congress to iron those issues out in the coming months."

The association has also encouraged individual members to meet with lawmakers, either in their home districts or in Washington, to share their personal experiences as doctors within the health care system.

Karen Hackett, the association's CEO, is not a registered lobbyist. AAOS employs 13 registered lobbyists, headed by David Lovett, the director of government affairs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Links
AAOS Site
AAOS Statement on Obama's Comments on Surgeon Medicare Reimbursement

CORRECTION: The original version of this report misstated AAOS' stance on a public option.