ACP Advocate
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August 14, 2026
ACP Regulatory News
Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2027 Contains Positive Provisions for Primary Care Physicians
However, ACP continues to call for physician payment reform, as a temporary 2.5 percent payment increase is set to expire.
Advocacy in Action
ACP to CMS: Medicaid Work Requirements Will Increase Administrative Burden for Physicians
ACP is urging CMS to revise the definition of medically frail to align with clinical risk rather than an individual's ability to comply with community engagement requirements.
In Case You Missed It
ACP Joins Family Medicine and Pediatric Leaders in STAT Letter on Primary Care
ACP President Jan Carney, MD, MPH, joined the presidents of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in a letter to the editor to STAT News responding to a First Opinion essay that framed primary care investment as a tradeoff against specialty care. The three leaders reject that framing and argue that patients need both, whether they are managing diabetes, tracking a child's development, or facing a complex diagnosis.
Read the full letter in STAT News.
ACP Stands Behind Evidence-Based Immunization Schedules as Federal Vaccine Policy Wavers
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and ACP is urging adults to get all recommended immunizations for protection against preventable diseases. ACP supports the independently developed immunization schedules of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) . Annals of Internal Medicine published the AAP, AAFP, and ACOG immunization recommendations, along with an editorial from Jason M. Goldman, MD, MACP, immediate past president of ACP, and Robert H. Hopkins, MD, MACP, and Kristin M. Mitchell, MD, FACP, chair and vice-chair of ACP's Immunization Subcommittee, calling for vaccine recommendations to be guided by scientific evidence and expert review, not political influence.
The authors state that ACP and other medical specialty societies will continue to fill the void left by the current administration and provide evidence-based, data-driven recommendations for physicians and patients.
For more information and resources, visit ACP's Adult Immunization Resource Hub.
Quick Hits
Advocacy News
Executive order directing changes to U.S. vaccine schedule problematic, deeply concerning and creates barriers to access
ACP statement expressing deep concern about a recent executive order that would implement significant changes to vaccine production, access, and administration and erode school entry requirements.
ACP Letter in Support of Protecting Current Federal Grant Regulations
ACP letter of strong support for “Sec. 157. Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance,” which would prevent implementation of the Office of Management and Budget's proposed grants rule and protect current federal grant regulations.
Letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Impact of Duration of Status Final Rule on IMGs
ACP letter expressing continued concerns regarding DHS's final rule replacing the longstanding Duration of Status framework with fixed periods of admission and a new extension of stay process for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants, which will create significant challenges for international medical graduates, adversely affect graduate medical education and ultimately reduce access to care for patients.
ACP Statement to the Senate HELP Committee Regarding Bills on Transparency, Prescriptions Drugs, Physician Workforce, Maternal Health, and Privacy
ACP statement for the record with ACP's views on increasing transparency in healthcare, reducing the prices of prescriptions drugs, reauthorizing key health workforce programs, expanding maternal health and protecting privacy.
ACP says 2027 Medicare payment proposal is a positive step for internal medicine physicians
ACP statement about the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, which has provisions that could help strengthen primary care and drive innovation, priorities for which ACP has long advocated, including provisions related to primary care payment, behavioral health, advance care planning and evaluation, and management services.
ACP applauds the introduction of the Patients First Act of 2026
ACP statement applauding the release of the Patients First Act of 2026, which, if enacted, includes a number of patient-centered policies, including increasing the investment in primary care without patient cost sharing through a hybrid payment demonstration project, which will aid independent physician-owned practices.
ACP's Letter of Support for the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act of 2026
ACP letter of strong support for the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (H.R. 9393), which would require important price publication requirements for hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, imaging services, clinical laboratories and health plans.
ACP Letter of Support for the Patients First Act of 2026
ACP letter expressing strong support for this critical legislation, which would strengthen Medicare beneficiaries' access to care and help independent physician practices remain financially viable.
ACP Supports the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2026
ACP letter in support of H.R.9257, the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2026, which would require group and individual health insurance plans to fully cover three primary care visits ad three behavioral health visits annually without any cost-sharing requirement.
ACP Statement of Support for S.J.Res. 198
ACP letter urging Senators to vote yes on S.J. Res. 198, a resolution expressing congressional disapproval of the implementation of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction model by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
ACP Comment Letter on Medicaid State Directed Payments Proposed Rule
ACP comments on the proposed rule, “Medicaid Program; Medicaid Managed Care State Directed Payments and Medicaid Fee-for-Service Targeted Medicaid Practitioner Payments,” which has several provisions that could restrict access to primary care and limit states' ability to direct health care resources to areas of greatest need.
ACP Comment Letter on Medicaid Work & Community Engagement Requirement Interim Final Rule
ACP comments on the implementation of the interim final rule, “Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals,” which will create unnecessary barriers to care for Medicaid beneficiaries while significantly increasing administrative burdens on physicians, patients and state Medicaid programs.
ACP's Statement for the Record on House Ways & Means Committee's Markup of Health Care Related Bills and Pricing Transparency
ACP statement of strong support for the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act, (H.R. 3514) which would streamline an unnecessary administrative burden in health care, and several policy proposals to reform Medicare Advantage practices to ensure accountability and safeguard market competition.
ACP Comment Letter to the Department of Health and Human Services Regarding a Request for Information on Essential Health Benefits
ACP comments on the Request for Information; Comprehensive Review of the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) Framework and Typical Employer Plan Standard proposed rule, providing recommendations on how the EHB framework can be improved to ensure comprehensive coverage, promote evidence-based care that reflects clinical guidance, address social drivers of health, and protect patients from exposure to high cost sharing that discourages receipt of medically necessary care.
ACP Summary of the Calendar Year 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Proposed Rule
Summary of the proposed rule, which includes updates to payment rates and regulatory policies affecting Medicare services furnished in hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers beginning in CY 2027.
Joint Letter to the Chair of the Utah Medical Licensing Board Regarding the Use of AI in its Pilot Program for Automated Prescription Renewals
Joint letter from ACP and ACP Utah Chapter to express concern about Utah's pilot project authorizing Doctronic to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the prescription renewal process and to urge the Medical Licensing Board to advocate for strong safeguards to protect patient safety, preserve physician oversight, and ensure that any use of AI in clinical care remains consistent with established standards of medical practice.
Joint Letter Supporting Continued Access to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in New Hampshire
Joint letter from ACP and ACP New Hampshire Chapter to the Governor of New Hampshire in support of the state's current mRNA COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.
Action Alert: August Recess 2026 – Grassroots Mobilization Challenge
This August, ACP is calling on internal medicine physicians to engage their representatives on two important issues we need Congress to act on.
- Strengthening and stabilizing physician Medicare payments through supporting the Patients First Act of 2026, H.R. 9693.
- Protecting physician access to visa programs through supporting the H-1Bs for Physician and the Healthcare Workforce Act, H.R. 7961.
To incentivize participation in this grassroots mobilization, the Advocates for Internal Medicine Network is challenging members to see which states have the highest engagement. Score points for your state by taking advocacy actions during the August Recess. The August Recess Challenge offers you a sample email message for you to urge Congress to pass health care legislation (5 points), a phone script to place a phone call to your representative or Senator (25 points), and a step-by-step guide on how to request a meeting with a member of Congress (100 points). The more time-sensitive and impactful the action, the more points you score.
Visit the Grassroots Mobilization Challenge page to learn more and ACP's Legislative Action Center to access resources and take action. Join the Advocates for Internal Medicine Network to receive ACP's action alerts directly and advocate for the interests of internal medicine in Washington.
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