Illinois Northern Governor's Newsletter August 2025

In this Issue:
Illinois Chapter Meeting
Resolutions Feedback Requested
Shine a Light on Excellence! Nominate an Outstanding Illinois ACP Member!
Women in Medicine Summit

Thomas E. Bleasdale Jr., MD, FACP, ACP Governor, Illinois Northern

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying a productive and restful summer. As we move into the second half of 2025, I'm excited to share several upcoming events and initiatives from the ACP Illinois Chapter designed to engage, educate, and connect our members across the state. First and foremost, however, I would like to address concerns that many of you have regarding the recent budgetary and Healthcare Advisory changes on the National level that will likely have wide reaching implications for a large number of our patients and practices.

The “Big Beautiful Bill,” officially named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), as I'm sure you are aware, includes significant cuts to Medicaid funding, with estimates reaching $1 trillion over the next decade. These cuts are projected to impact millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid for health insurance and could lead to increased uncompensated care costs for hospitals and providers. There is expected to be significant effects on rural hospitals and hospitals within our urban care centers that rely on Medicaid funds to care for the populations they serve.

As early as April, 2025, ACP co-signed a letter warning Congress against proposed Medicaid cuts. Currently, ACP argues Medicaid reimbursement rates must remain adequate and that national minimum eligibility standards should be upheld. Our efforts continue to urge policymakers not to enact any further policy that would release vulnerable individuals from Medicaid benefits.

On another front, ACP continues to press national policy makers for the continued federal support for national healthcare institutions such as the CDC and NIH. Last month, ACP President Jason Goldman, MD, MACP, expressed being “highly concerned and outraged” when HHS dismissed all 17 ACIP vaccine experts stating, “This announcement, coupled with the recent, preemptive actions HHS took on the COVID-19 vaccines that circumvented the standard, transparent vaccine review process, interferes with the practice of evidence-based medicine and destabilizes a trusted source and its evidence-based process for helping guide decision-making for vaccines to protect the public health in our country.” In the following weeks, The ACP voiced deep concern over the rapidity and opacity of HHS Secretary RFK Jr.'s appointment of new ACIP members.

In a culmination of these efforts, on July 7^th 2025, The American College of Physicians (ACP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Public Health Association (APHA), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Massachusetts Public Health Alliance (MPHA), Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), and a pregnant physician, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to defend vaccine policy, and to put an end to the Secretary's assault on science, public health and evidence-based medicine.

This is where we are. This represents who we are and the patients we care for, but that is just two current issues in a nutshell and where ACP stands regarding them. What can you do? Get involved. Put your ACP membership to task in ways that advocate for our patients and our profession. Join the discussions. Be a part of our local Health and Public Policy Committee. Join us for Leadership Day in DC. Write to your Senator or Congress Person. Thinking never changes action as much as action changes thinking.

Sincerely, your colleague,

Thomas Bleasdale MD FACP
Governor, ACP Illinois Northern

It is with sadness that I report the loss of our colleague James R. Webster Jr, MD MACP. Dr. Webster was a professor emeritus of medicine and former Gilbert H. Marquard professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. We was renown in academic medicine and Health and Public Policy, sharing his commitment to Internal Medicine, while touching countless lives and inspiring countless Physicians in training along the way. Dr. Webster served as President of the Chicago Board of Health from 2003-2009 and was recognized with numerous awards for his outstanding achievements throughout his career including the Lifetime Achievement Award, Institute of Medicine of Chicago (2009), Mastership, American College of Physicians (1999), Russe Humanitarian Award, Institute of Medicine of Chicago (1997), Claypool Award, American College of Physicians (1994). He was also recognized as Outstanding Clinical Teacher of the Year on numerous occasions. For those who knew him both in and out of ACP, his inspiration will be truly missed.

Illinois Chapter Meeting

Join us in October! Full Agenda and Information HERE

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Resolutions Feedback Requested

The fall resolutions have been posted on ACP Online for your review and cover topics such as harms of immediate test results release, expanding 988 suicide and crisis services, and optimizing the medical resident and fellow training experience.

After considering the intent of each resolution, please provide your feedback indicating your support or opposition by completing the electronic response form by August 12th.

Read/Comment on Fall 2025 BOG Resolutions

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