As the leading voice for practicing allergists, College and Advocacy Council leaders descended on Washington earlier this month to advocate for the most pressing issues facing the allergy specialty and our patients: increasingly burdensome commercial and government payer policies that hinder patient care and threaten the sustainability of independent practices. Payer-related issues remain among the greatest challenges confronting allergy practices nationwide.
Some of the Strike Force members advocate with us every year, while others were first-time participants in 2026. We thought it was important to share their opinions on the visits and their commitment to you!
In addition to the College’s own Hill Day, our leaders teamed up with patient advocates from the Allergy & Asthma Network (AAN) a day later for a second wave of Congressional visits. Before the teams headed to the Hill, ACAAI President Cherie Zachary, MD, FACAAI, addressed attendees during the AAN breakfast, highlighting ways the College advances patient care and physician support through research, education, innovation, and advocacy.
Dr. Cherie Zachary, FACAAI, ACAAI President
“I have attended these visits for the past four years. Partnering with patients and patient advocacy groups is very important to the success of our efforts on Capitol Hill. Their dedication has been enjoyable and most appreciated.”
Dr. David Stukus, FACAAI, ACAAI President-elect
“This was my first time advocating and meeting with elected representatives on the Hill. The Advocacy Council made it as easy as possible for me to join and contribute to our efforts. I was energized by the passion from our entire team and cannot wait to join again next year!”
Dr. Maureen Petersen, FACAAI, ACAAI Vice President
“This was my first experience advocating on Capitol Hill, but it definitely won’t be my last. I was incredibly impressed by how receptive lawmakers and their teams were to hearing directly from physicians about the needs of our patients and specialty. Being part of the conversations surrounding the Allergy and Asthma Patient Protection Act made me proud of the work the ACAAI Advocacy Council is doing, and it energized me to continue participating in this important work!”
Dr. Todd Mahr, FACAAI, ACAAI Executive Medical Director
“I have been doing these visits for a number of years, and this year was great because we have an allergist in Congress now! Talking about the upcoming Allergy & Asthma Patient Protection Act from Representative Bob Onder, M.D., was amazing. It really shows how our Advocacy Council is actively working for our membership.”
Dr. J. Wesley Sublett, MD, MPH, FACAAI, Advocacy Council Chair
“It was an honor to represent the ACAAI Advocacy Council as ACAAI leaders highlighted the challenges faced by the practicing allergist and our patients. This year, ACAAI brought the fight to the Hill, as we made members of Congress and the Senate aware of the Allergy & Asthma Patient Protection Act from Representative Bob Onder, M.D. This new legislation emphasizes the roadblocks payers have placed in front of allergists in providing allergen immunotherapy. It was a call to action that was well received by both sides of the aisle.”
Dr. Steve Dorman, FACAAI, Advocacy Council Vice Chair
“To serve on the ACAAI Advocacy Council and work alongside other leaders in the College in this capacity is an honor. Having worked on Capitol Hill prior to medical school, I could see the impact ACAAI is having by bringing attention to the Allergy & Asthma Patient Protection Act from Representative Bob Onder, M.D. This specific bill spotlights the challenges we are having as practicing allergy and immunology physicians in reimbursement for providing a fundamental treatment, allergen immunotherapy, to our patients. This rallying cry was favorably taken by nearly all members and staffers we spoke to – regardless of where they were on the political spectrum.”
Dr. J. Allen Meadows, MD, Advocacy Council Executive Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs
“It was an honor to work alongside Dr. Onder and his staff in developing the Allergy and Asthma Patient Protection Act. We are grateful to have such a strong advocate in Congress who truly understands the growing challenges insurance company policies create for allergists and, most importantly, for the patients who depend on access to immunotherapy.”
Your College Leaders (from left): Drs. J.Wesley Sublett, Amar Dixit, Vivek Rao, Steve Dorman, Lawrence DuBuske, Todd Mahr, Allen Meadows, Cherie Zachary, Maureen Petersen, Dave Stukus, James Tracy, and our Washington Consultant, Matt Reiter.
While meeting with more than 40 Congressional leaders and/or their legislative assistants, your College delegation focused on the new legislation soon to be introduced by Congressman Bob Onder, MD, FACAAI (R-MO-3) – The Allergy & Asthma Patient Protection Act.
College leaders collaborated with Congressman Onder to draft legislation that would require most federally regulated commercial health plans to:
- Adhere to the CPT definition of 95165
- Prohibit reimbursement reductions for CPT Code 95165 when an extract vial contains diluent
- Cover the build-up phase of allergy immunotherapy
- Eliminate medically unlikely edit (MUE) limits, volume-based reimbursement caps, predetermined aliquot sizes, and other restrictions inconsistent with CPT guidance or accepted standards of care
- Reimburse skin testing and spirometry performed on the same day as an office visit
If you have close relationships with members of Congress, please contact them now and ask them to support the Allergy & Asthma Patient Protection Act once it’s introduced. We’ll continue to provide updates on this legislation.
Make plans to join us next spring as we partner with Allergy and Asthma Network. We usually advocate the first week in May. If you’re interested, contact AdvocacyCouncil@acaai.org and be sure to read the Advocacy Insider and Advocacy Alerts pushed to you via email.
The Advocacy Council – ADVOCATING FOR ALLERGISTS AND THEIR PATIENTS.
