Chapter Advocacy Campaign:  ACP’s New Vision for the U.S. Health Care System

Prepared by ACP’s Division of Governmental Affairs and Public Policy
October 14, 2020

What is the Campaign About?

ACP urges chapters to educate and influence stakeholders and state policymakers about ACP’s New Vision for the U.S. Health Care System in order to build a better, fairer, simpler, and less costly health care system.

In January 2020, ACP released a series of policy papers published in a supplement to Annals of Internal Medicine titled “Better is Possible: The American College of Physicians Vision for the U.S. Health Care System,” that outlines a New Vision for U.S. health care, assessing the strengths and weaknesses in the U.S. health care system today and offering policy recommendations for improvement. The papers are:

• Envisioning a Better Health Care System for All: A Call to Action by the ACP
• Envisioning a Better Health Care System for All: Reducing Barriers to Care and Addressing Social Determinants of Health
• Envisioning a Better Health Care System for All: Coverage and Cost of Care
• Envisioning a Better Health Care System for All: Health Care Delivery and Payment System Reform

The papers propose interconnected, comprehensive, and evidence-based policy recommendations that reimagine the nation’s health care system as one where everyone has coverage for and access to the care they need, at a cost they and the country can afford; where social factors that contribute to poor and inequitable health are addressed; where health care payment and delivery systems put patients first and support physicians and their care teams in delivering high value, patient centered care; and where unnecessary, wasteful administrative spending is redirected to what matters most: patient care.

Even in the best of times the health care system is fragmented, inefficient, and costly, failing to serve patients well. Now, with the country facing the worst pandemic in a century, the system’s brokenness is intensified. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to fix our broken system. Our nation’s pandemic response would have been more effective had these recommendations been in place. Better is possible and it is more important than ever to urge policymakers and stakeholders to partner with us to build a better, fairer, simpler, and less costly health care system.

What Steps Should Chapters Take to Get Involved?

  1. Using state-specific issue briefs created by ACP (see below), share these with your state lawmakers/stakeholders, and offer to meet with them to collaborate on policy reforms consistent with the new vision.
  2. Engage in social media (Twitter/Facebook) as you share these issue briefs (in real time) with policymakers and advocate for ACP’s new vision.
  3. Follow-up with ACP staff (Shuan Tomlinson – stomlinson@acponline.org) and let us know what you have done!

What Resources Are Available to Chapters for the Campaign?

Other Resources

Better Is Possible: ACP’s Vision for the U.S. Health Care System
In this webinar, ACP leadership explain specific policy recommendations to change the status quo.

High-level Overview of ACP's New Vision
This document provides a quick reference for discussing the New Vision and can be used as a handout, as needed.

Where Does ACP Stand on Medicare-for-All?
This ACP Advocate Blog post, written by Bob Doherty, ACP Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, clarifies ACP's support of a single-payer health care system.

American College of Physicians: Envisioning a Better Health Care System for All
PowerPoint Presentation on the New Vision Paper by Ryan Crowley.