Last month, hundreds of osteopathic physicians and students gathered in Washington, D.C., for DO Day on Capitol Hill—the profession’s premier advocacy event. At DO Day, we conducted nearly 300 meetings with lawmakers and staff, sharing powerful, real-world perspectives and championing the profession’s most pressing priorities.
This year’s advocacy agenda focused on:
- Protecting physician practices by supporting H.R. 879 to prevent harmful Medicare payment cuts;
- Expanding access to care by safeguarding Medicaid funding and preserving telehealth flexibilities;
- Supporting future physicians through the reauthorization of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program;
- Promoting osteopathic medicine by educating Congress on the distinct, whole-person approach of DOs.
These face-to-face conversations are critical in shaping health policy and ensuring lawmakers understand the unique value of osteopathic medicine. The momentum for these issues continues to grow, including H.R. 879 which has 155 co-sponsors and gained 12 additional cosponsors after DO Day, demonstrating the power of our advocacy.
But our work doesn’t stop when DO Day ends. Following DO Day, Syed Rizvi, OMS IV, and recipient of the Individual Excellence in Advocacy Award (Student), joined his U.S. Representative, Shri Thanedar (MI-13), at a district town hall to continue the conversation back home.
Rizvi spoke about the impact of issues discussed during DO Day—like Medicare payment reform and cuts to Medicaid—and how these policies affect both physicians and patients in the district. This powerful example of in-district advocacy bridges the gap between Washington, D.C., and the communities osteopathic physicians serve every day.
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