ACP Advocate
The ACP Advocate is an online newsletter for ACP members interested in advocacy. An ACP login is required to access these articles. Not a member? Visit our Membership section to learn about joining.
February 20, 2026
Advocacy Wins
Government Accountability Office to Review Accuracy of CMS Utilization Estimates Over the Last 10 Years
ACP has advocated for this lookback study for nearly three years, hoping it will ultimately lead to funds being put back into the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
ACP Regulatory News
ACP Provides Comments on Proposed Rule for Medicare Advantage for 2027
Expressed concerns with proposals that would dismantle equity-focused requirements, expose beneficiaries to misleading marketing and increase administrative burden on physicians.
Congressional News and Perspective
ACP Urges Congress to Hit Pause on Use of AI in Prior Authorization
Advocates against implementation of the WISeR model, which would incorporate artificial intelligence tools into prior authorization for traditional Medicare.
In Case You Missed It
ACP Urges Precision in Health Care Terms: Don't Label Physicians ‘Providers'
A new ethics paper from ACP, “Physicians Are Not Providers: The Ethical Significance of Names in Health Care,” argues that the term “provider” should not be used to describe physicians because the word demeans physicians' ethical responsibility, clinical integrity, and professionalism.
Read the paper published in Annals of Internal Medicine and watch the accompanying video to learn more.
Recently in Annals of Internal Medicine
An analysis of Medicare beneficiaries recently published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that one in six beneficiaries used telehealth between 2021 and 2023, with nearly half of all mental health visits conducted virtually. The findings suggest that telehealth has become an essential component of care for older and medically vulnerable adults and authors warn that rolling back telehealth flexibilities may reduce access and strain health systems already facing high demand.
Quick Hits
Advocacy News
Letter to Congress on ACP's 2026 Policy Priorities
ACP letter urging Congress to prioritize efforts in ensuring patients' access to immunizations and affordable health care, bolstering the internal medicine physician workforce and improving payment stability for physicians.
Joint Comment Letter Opposing NHTSA Proposed Rollback of Fuel Economy Standards
Joint letter urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to withdraw the proposed rollback of fuel economy standards, which currently improve efficiency, save consumers money, and protect clean air and public health.
ACP Advocate is copyrighted ©2026 by the American College of Physicians.
