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Advocating With You and For You: Advocacy in Action

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Advocating With You and For You: Advocacy in Action
ACP works to improve the health-care system and daily experiences for internal medicine doctors and their patients using our evidence-based policy papers, grass roots activities, work with congressional leaders, key agencies and regulators and through collaborations with other organizations. ACP advocates for making regulatory and payment systems work better for internal medicine physicians to reduce burnout and improve patient care.
ACP’s advocacy priorities seek to promote policy reforms on the federal level through legislative, regulatory and executive actions that benefit the overall health and well-being of patients, physicians and the practice of internal medicine.
ACP’s top policy and advocacy priorities include:
  • Valuing the care provided by internal medicine physicians
  • Reducing administrative burden in medicine
  • Strengthening the primary care and physician workforce
  • Protecting the patient-physician relationship
  • Addressing prescription drug access and affordability
  • Promoting patient access to care
  • Preventing firearms-related injuries and death
  • Supporting and enhancing health information technology

Reducing the Burden of Prior Authorization

  • We were excited to see significant progress in prior authorization reform, a result of ACP’s unwavering advocacy efforts. On Jan. 17, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule which requires Medicare Advantage plans to make prior authorization payers to make decisions within 72 hours for expedited requests and within seven calendar days for standard, nonurgent requests.
  • ACP members and grassroots advocacy efforts played a vital role in pushing forward a landmark bill in New Jersey to update requirements and standards for insurers' use of prior authorization.
  • We also continue to advocate directly with private insurers to block and remove medical service requirements and identify policy solutions to simplify the prior authorization process.
  • The ACP Prior Authorization Toolkit provides a comprehensive overview of the policy landscape and equips you with actionable grassroots initiatives to advocate for reform at the state and federal levels.

Ensuring Equitable Access to Participation in the Electoral Process

In this important election year, ACP recognizes that voting impacts health and health care as detailed in our policy paper, “Ensuring Equitable Access to Participation in the Electoral Process: A Policy Brief from the American College of Physicians.” Published in Annals of Internal Medicine, the policy includes recommendations about how to approach informing physicians, medical students and other health-care professionals on the links between electoral processes and health, encourages civic participation and offers policy recommendations to support safe and equitable access to the electoral involvement to advance health equity for all.
ACP members can access resources available in the Toolkit: Voter Registration and Equitable Access to Elections. The College partnered with Vot-ER, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to integrate civic engagement into health care to encourage members to get involved in inspiring civic participation.

Advocacy Wins for Internal Medicine Physicians in Day-to-Day Practices

This year ACP achieved policy changes that will make a difference in your daily work, your professional development and your patients’ health.
  • ACP advocacy and grassroot efforts by members pushed FTC to finalize a rule banning non-compete clauses in employment contracts.
  • ACP advocacy with Congress and the administration resulted in CMS implementing the G2211 code that better recognizes the work involved in physicians providing continuity of care for complex conditions. The ACP Coding Resource Hub offers guidance and a video supplement that explains how and when to use the code.
  • Extended telehealth flexibilities including continued coverage for audio-only visits and delayed requiring in-person visits for behavioral health care through The Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act.
  • CMS launched “Making Care Primary,” a multi-state initiative to enhance access to and quality of primary care, modeled after key elements of ACP’s proposed Medical Home Neighborhood model.

ACP Advocacy in Action

ACP embarks on different ways to educate and promote action by policy makers, legislators and others on issues of importance to internal medicine physicians and your patients.
  • 480 ACP members participated in ACP’s Leadership Day in Washington, D.C.; attendees came from 50 states and D.C. and participated in 369 congressional meetings to bring visibility to key issues.
  • In 2023, we facilitated 5,119 grassroots messages being sent from 1,196 advocates to lawmakers, advocated for state and federal legislation along with federal rulemaking to support internal medicine physicians. ACP also worked to improve the health and well-being of patients and empower state chapters with personalized advocacy tools.
  • Between August and December 2023, participants in the Advocates for Internal Medicine (AIM) Network sent 2,454 messages, including 265 individual comment letters, to CMS calling for the G2211 add-on code to be implemented without any further delay or disruption.
Leadership Day 2024

New ACP Public Policies (July 2023-June 2024)

  • Augmented Intelligence in the Provision of Health Care
  • Excessive Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorders
  • Physician Perspectives on Private Equity Investment in Health care (JAMA IM)
  • Meeting the Health and Social Needs of America’s Unhoused and Housing-Unstable Populations
  • Principles for the Physician-Led Patient-Centered Medical Home and Other Approaches to Team-Based Care
  • Ensuring Equitable Access to Participation in the Electoral Process
  • Modernizing the United States' Public Health Infrastructure
  • Preparing for Future Pandemics and Public Health Emergencies
For more on our advocacy efforts, visit www.acponline.org/advocacy.