Posted on by The ACG News Team
2025 ACG Advocacy Day

Dear ACG Colleagues and Friends,

On Thursday, more than 100 ACG leaders from 45 states met with your House Representatives and Senators. Across more than 200 meetings, our tireless advocates expressed the continued challenges we face within gastroenterology, while highlighting key legislative opportunities that would benefit our patients and practices.

The highlight of the day was our annual luncheon, where five Members of Congress and two senior Congressional staffers offered a wide array of perspectives. Collectively, they addressed the relevance of patient and physician advocacy on Capitol Hill and provided insight into the current Congress’ health policy priorities. We are grateful to all of our speakers: 

  • GOP Doctor’s Caucus members Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD) and Rep. Rich McCormick, MD (R-GA)

  • Small Business Committee Chair Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX)

  • Two newly-elected physicians Rep. Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ) and Rep. Maxine Dexter, MD (D-OR)

  • Drew Keyes, senior policy adviser for House Speaker Mike Johnson and Abigail Chance, professional staff member on the House Ways & Means Committee

As our group reflected at the end of the day, advocacy in Washington, D.C. is like the Confucius quote: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” Though we discussed similar issues as in years past, it was encouraging to hear many stories of Congressional meetings where staff recognized our Governors and our legislative priorities. Our hope is the frustration we conveyed, as well as the legislative opportunities discussed, have laid the groundwork for meaningful progress

This Year’s Key Messages and Legislative Requests:

Support the Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act (H.R. 2433).

This physician-led, bipartisan legislation from Rep. Mark Green, MD (R-TN), Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC), and Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA) would require all Medicare plans to have only medically-necessary prior authorization policies for both prescription drugs and services. It also requires all appeals and peer-to-peers be conducted by a doctor in the same specialty as the patient’s condition.

Ensure patients have access to the full colorectal cancer screening continuum of care, by requiring insurers to correctly classify surveillance colonoscopy as a preventive service. 

ACG is renewing efforts to secure appropriations language that guides action at the Department of Health and Human Services. With colorectal cancer cases among young Americans increasing at a staggering rate, now is the time to act.

Support the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act (H.R. 879), and reforms to the Medicare physician reimbursement system that center patient access to care, while ensuring pay keeps up with inflation and the cost of providing services.

As always, we are grateful to the College’s leadership, to ACG President Amy Oxentenko, MD, FACG, to Louis Wilson, MD, FACG, Chair of the our Legislative & Public Policy Council, as well as everyone who dedicated time and effort to the success of our 2025 Advocacy Day!

– Sita Chokhavatia, MD, MACG and Harish Gagneja, MD, MACG

Highlights from Lunch: Patient Advocacy – From Our Practice to the Halls of Congress

Clockwise, from top left: Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD); Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX); Rep. Rich McCormick, MD (R-GA); Rep. Maxine Dexter, MD (D-OR); Dr. Adam Elfant, Rep. Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ), ACG Board of Governors Chair Dr. Sita Chokhavatia, and Dr. Ashwin Agrawal; ACG Trustee Dr. James Hobley, Drew Keyes, Abigail Chance, and ACG Legislative & Public Policy Chair Dr. Louis Wilson.

“When you come up here and share your experiences, it makes an impact. You give a face to the story, because we’re often debating policy, and not the people that it’s actually affecting.”

– Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX)

“Part of taking care of patients is coming here and advocating for policies. If we had more physicians and less lawyers here, Congress would be a more productive place.”

– Rep. Andy Harris, MD (R-MD)

“We have been irresponsible with reimbursement reform. The continued decline in Medicare payments must be addressed, because too many of our patients will lose access to care.”

– Rep. Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ)

“For too long, the people in this building have not been acting with the best interests of patients in mind. But when you show up, legislators listen.”

– Rep. Maxine Dexter, MD (D-OR)

“Healthcare policy needs to be more than just dollars and cents, and focus on patients and outcomes. That’s what I hope you’ll see in many of the reforms this Congress will consider.”

– Drew Keyes, senior policy advisor to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)

Social Media Highlights – #ACGAdvocacyDay2025