MSMC members joined the team of physicians and staff from Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) to visit Washington, D.C. as part of the American Medical Association’s National Advocacy Conference. The group urged Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation to support smart health care policies such as ensuring patients have access to physician-led care, supporting increases to the number of Medicare-supported Graduate Medical Education residency slots and reversing an alarming decrease in Medicare funding for physician services.

“It’s important that our Congressional offices hear directly from Wisconsin physicians about what we’re experiencing on the ground while taking care of patients,” said WisMed Board of Directors Chair Jerry Halverson, MD. “Physicians are proud to always have patients as our top priority – and you can tell during our visits that our elected officials appreciate that.

“Nobody understands what’s happening in health care quite like physicians do, and we’re glad that access to high quality health care is really a nonpartisan issue,” Dr. Halverson said. “That said, there’s important work that needs to be done to support physicians and our patients. We all must make sure that the folks we elect to these positions are listening and acting on what’s needed.”

The issues discussed in Washington, D.C. also resonate with WisMed priorities at the state level, including combating needless prior authorization requirements, recognizing the need for programs supporting physician wellness and ensuring our state maintains a workplace environment conducive to a long, rewarding medical career. (See this January 12, 2023 Medigram story for more on WisMed’s 2023-24 state legislative priorities.)

“Our meetings in all Congressional offices went great and we shared our messages as patient advocates,” said WisMed President-elect Don Lee, MD. “All WisMed members should utilize our advocacy resources as a way to help our federal and state elected officials know what’s important for good health care.”