The ACR made a significant impact in the national healthcare conversation last week with its response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2026. The ACR’s press release, which expressed disappointment about the proposed rule not going far enough to fix Medicare payment for physicians, was widely circulated and received substantial media coverage.
The full release was picked up by Inside Health Policy, a leading source for health policy news. Additionally, ACR President Carol Langford, MD, MHS, was prominently quoted in several major healthcare publications, including Healthcare Dive, MedPage Today, Medscape and Advisory Board. These outlets are widely read by healthcare professionals, policymakers and industry leaders.
This media exposure resulted in a combined reach of over 6.1 million people, amplifying the ACR’s voice and advocacy efforts on behalf of rheumatology providers and their patients nationwide.
The ACR is conducting its comprehensive review of the proposed rule and its impacts to the rheumatology community. Watch for those comments and continued advocacy after the comment deadline of Sept. 12.
Have questions for the advocacy team? Email them directly at [email protected].
