Over the last 10 years, the College has invested heavily on reimagining, and subsequently restructuring, the advocacy/House of Delegates aspect of our mission. Our leadership, committee members, and volunteers have spent thousands of hours building layers, bridges, teams, and programs to advocate and support you, the practicing allergist. We are always looking for considerate, collaborative, engaged members to help with our efforts.
Since June is the midpoint of the year, it is the perfect time to share the various issues we’ve been working on to advocate for you. The list below is what we’ve been working on just in the last six months! We’ve been extremely busy this year, and expect a high level of activity the remainder of 2025 as well.
Advocacy can look very different depending on the topic, the people involved, and whether it is a local, state, or national issue. Advocating also looks different; advocacy can happen in person, via email, telephone, and even social media. Get involved – find what works best for you, an issue you are passionate about, and advocate! If you feel that it’s time for you to help advocate for all allergists, we are ready to chat with you!
JANUARY
- MIPS/MVP – The College and its Advocacy Council supported the AMA letter to CMS based on feedback received from the MVP and MIPS improvement discussions.
- 2025 Medicare Drug Negotiations List – We provided comments to CMS on Breo and Trelegy – the only two allergy-related medications on the list.
- The Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act – We endorsed this bill that invests in communities to ensure that they have the resources they need to combat the threats of wildfire smoke and extreme heat.
- Medicare permanent fix – We supported legislation that would increase the conversion factor (CF) by 6.62% for services furnished on or after April 1 through Dec. 31. This is intended to both address the 2.8% cut and provide an inflationary update to the CF on top of that. Reforming Medicare payments is a top priority of the College’s Advocacy Council. The Strike Force advocated this point when it was in Washington, and we will continue to advocate at every opportunity to achieve fair payment for the services allergists provide.
- Medicare Patient Access and Stabilization Act – We urged the House and Senate to include the recently introduced Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act in the government funding bill.
FEBRUARY
- Revaluation of CPT 95165 – The College and its Advocacy Council collected antigen invoices from members to support our request to CMS, asking that CMS revalue CPT 95165. We anticipate their response in the upcoming proposed rule.
- AB 228 – We supported a California education bill that changed its language from epinephrine “auto-injector” to epinephrine “delivery system.”
- SB 68 – We provided a letter of support for California to change food allergy legislation that would require insurance carriers to cover the early introduction of peanuts and eggs.
- NIH cuts – We submitted a comment letter to NIH emphasizing that changes to indirect research grant funding must allow researchers the time necessary to adjust in a manner that allows research to continue. Further, we believe the NIH should provide more information about how changes to indirect cost funding would be redirected to direct costs or new grant opportunities.
- NCQA HEDIS measurement – The College’s Asthma Committee provided comments on a New Measure: Follow-up after Acute Care Visits for Asthma and Measure Retirement: Asthma Medication Ratio.
- UHC letter – We sent a letter to United Healthcare (UHC) requesting that they revert to AMA’s CPT definition of a dose. Congressman Dr. Bob Onder also met with chief UHC executives.
- Research America RE: NIH funding – We joined a coalition of like-minded specialties urging NIH to work collaboratively with stakeholders and OMB to develop a transparent, efficient, and sustainable indirect cost rate policy.
- HR 879 – We joined a coalition urging Congress to include HR 879 in the upcoming government funding reconciliation legislation. HR 879 would reverse the current 2.83% reduction in the Medicare Physician fee schedule and provide clinicians with a positive payment update in the March 2025 appropriations bill.
- HIPAA Security Rule – We provided comments to HHS on the proposed HIPAA Security Rule expressing deep concerns that the costs of the proposals (including investments in technology, the need for consultants/attorneys, and staff training) will be particularly challenging for small and rural practices, which are already disproportionately impacted by workforce shortages, high inflation rates, and reduced reimbursements from both private and public payers, and may force them out of business.
- Maryland – Prescription Drug Advisory Board (PDAB) – We supported this amendment that requires PDABs to address major concerns for patient and provider advocates via a retrospective analysis of the upper payment limits’ (UPLs) impact on the Maryland’s state health plan.
- NIH funding – We joined physician medical societies in opposing the NIH indirect cost policies. The letter respectfully urged NIH to rescind this policy and work collaboratively with research institutions and other federal agencies to develop a fair, transparent, and sustainable approach to indirect cost recovery.
MARCH
- Expanding HSA coverage for inhalers – The College and its Advocacy Council endorsed bill H.R. 919, which will expand health savings accounts’ preventive services coverage for several things, including inhaled corticosteroids and peak flow meters for asthma.
- Step therapy – We supported a coalition of medical specialties that appealed to HHS requesting that it continue its studies of step therapy and prior authorization issues.
- Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act – We contributed to drafting the language that changed the focus of this bill to educating school food personnel under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP), instead of all the Child Nutrition Reauthorization programs.
- Medicare physician payment cuts – We contacted Congress and urged them to address Medicare physician payment cuts before the House voted on the continuing resolution bill. (If the CR passes without the Medicare physician payment language included, it is likely the cut will stand for the year.)
- Chiropractic Medicare coverage – We opposed S. 106/H.R. 539, the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2025, which would amend the Social Security Act’s definition of physician to extend Medicare coverage for services furnished by chiropractors beyond the manual manipulation of the spine.
- Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025 – We supported the bill to “help streamline necessary care and reduce administrative burden and burnout among providers.”
APRIL
- Food allergy bill – The College and its Advocacy Council supported this California bill requesting the addition of the nine most popular food allergens to be included on restaurant menus.
- PAVE Act – We supported the reintroduction of the Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation (PAVE) Act.
- S-FAR AMR appropriations – We supported the reintroduction of antimicrobial resistance programs.
- COPD Action Alliance – The College is a member and supports the efforts of the COPD Action Alliance. Dr. Amar Dixit represented the College at a meeting this spring where the group developed a letter to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. It stressed the importance of prioritizing decisions based on science that has shown vaccinations reduce hospitalizations and COPD exacerbations.
- AMA’s Physician Payment Information (PPI) Survey – We submitted comments to the AMA expressing our concerns over the results of the PPI survey.
- RFI on Regulatory Relief – Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – The College submitted comments and examples of regulatory burdens and how they affect allergists.
- Texas: Epi legislation – We negotiated with stakeholders for more inclusive language to redefine epinephrine usage.
- Definition of a dose – We requested that CMS redefine the definition of a dose to match the CPT definition.
- Cybersecurity survey – We passed along AMA’s survey link to College members asking that they help advise the AMA in their advocacy efforts.
- Protect newborn screening programs – We support all efforts to continue screening newborns for certain disorders.
- Maryland PDAB Amendment and sign-on letter – The Value of Care Coalition (the College is a member) called on the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board to express concerns over AB 259, which failed to result in patient savings, reduced patient access to impacted medications and did not provide an opportunity for stakeholders’ input or consideration for local needs.
- Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act – We endorsed legislation to make it easier for people with chronic illnesses to access treatments before reaching insurance deductibles.
MAY
- Restore funding for National Asthma Control Program – The College and its Advocacy Council urged the appropriators to restore funding for the CDCs National Asthma Control Program (NACP).
- 2026 Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP) Funding – We supported a request to increase funding for FY 2026 to $30 million, up from the current $10 million funding in 2025.
- COPD action alert – We support advocating for appropriations funding for both CDC and CMS.
- Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care – We continue to support this bill that focuses on improving the prior authorization process.
- Medicare cuts – We sent a letter to House and Senate leadership that requests the reconciliation legislation include Medicare payment reform.
- Early introduction to egg/peanut allergens – We provided letters supporting New York bills A771, A658 and A1397, which address different food allergy initiatives.
- Physician payment reform – We joined the AMA in a grassroots sign-on effort supporting S.1640 that encourages legislators to reform physician payments.
- Epinephrine – We wrote a letter of support for a New York bill to reform epinephrine language pertaining to delivery devices.
- Medicare Part D – We urged CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to take action to protect Medicare Part D beneficiaries from increased utilization management that may come as a result of the restructuring of Part D.
JUNE
- EpiPen Act – The College and its Advocacy Council supported this act that contains more inclusive epinephrine delivery system language and caps out-of-pocket expenses at $60/2-pack (or equivalent).
- Food allergy – We supported Pennsylvania legislation that includes the early introduction of peanut and egg to children’s diets.
- Food allergy – We renewed support for CA AB68, which requests the addition of the top nine food allergens on restaurant menus.
- Health information technology – We submitted comments on the need to reform the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), particularly the program’s burdensome and costly clinical data reporting requirements. Smarter MIPS policies drive better health outcomes and support the use of health technology to manage chronic conditions that are sensitive to early intervention, patient education, and coordinated care.
- Pharmacy benefit manager/management – We supported legislation S526, which emphasizes transparency, equitable reimbursement, and restrictions on income sources and will help ensure that our patients receive the most appropriate and effective treatments, free from the influence of profit motives that can compromise their care.
- Graduate Medical Education (GME) – As GME funding is one of our top advocacy priorities, we supported the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025, a bill that would increase GME slots by 14,000 over the next seven years.
- Medicare payments – We joined other national medical organizations in signing a letter to Senate leadership urging them to reinsert the House-passed legislation tying the Medicare payment updates to the Medicare Economic Index and to support the reinstatement of the bipartisan Medicare Payment reform working group.
- We joined the AMA and other medical specialties that are dedicated to promoting public understanding and confidence in the use of vaccines. Vaccines reduce preventable illness, hospitalizations, and death. The College is committed to providing continually updated information about the vaccine issue on our newly developed Outbreaks and Vaccines Resource Center webpage.
Throughout the year, we help allergists, practices and state societies address countless payment issues. Our House of Delegates (HOD) has state delegates in almost every state to help raise your issues and have them addressed appropriately. Be sure you know your College State Delegate
The Advocacy Council – ADVOCATING FOR ALLERGISTS AND THEIR PATIENTS.
