Current Advocacy Priorities

Dedicated members, volunteers and Academy staff strive to advance the specialty and its important contributions to the health, function, and quality of life for patients around the country, before Congress and federal agencies, as well as other entities directly impacting the work of physiatrists and their patients.

Below, you will find our current advocacy priorities. These priorities adjust as the health care landscape continues to evolve and new challenges emerge. AAPM&R greatly relies on member input to drive its prioritization of efforts! Explore the links to see how your Academy is advocating in each area and why it matters.

• Fighting Against PM&R Physician Fee Cuts and For Fair Payment
• Defending PM&R Physicians Against Scope of Practice Threats
• Enhancing the Recognition of PM&R Medical Expertise in Inpatient Rehabilitation, Pain Management, and Other Clinical Areas
• Advancing Prior Authorization Reform
• Protecting Federal Disability and Rehabilitation Research Funding
• Advocating for PM&R’s Role within Value-Based Rehabilitation Care
• Advocating for Your Patients
• Advancing the Integration of Novel Technologies in PM&R Practice
• Preserving Access to and Reimbursement for Telehealth Services
• Actively Monitoring and Responding to Legislative and Regulatory Proposals that Impact PM&R Physicians and Patients

Questions or comments on these priorities? Email us at healthpolicy@aapmr.org.

AAPM&R Advocacy Wins

As the organization that advocates on behalf of PM&R physicians and their patients, AAPM&R is positioning PM&R physicians as essential leaders early and across the healthcare continuum, defending against threats to PM&R practices and providing members with a powerful voice and opportunities to advocate for the specialty. Check out our many advocacy-related “wins” for our member physiatrists.

Advocacy Education

Welcome to our exclusive hub of educational webinars, designed to empower members with the knowledge and tools to advocate for patients, practice improvements, and the future of PM&R. With expert insights on everything from navigating PM&R billing codes to influencing healthcare policy, these webinars will equip you with actionable strategies to position your practice for success and enhance patient care. 

2025

• Advocacy 101: Getting Involved at the Local, State, and National Level as PM&R Physicians
• Data to Decisions: Integrating Patient Reported Outcomes into Clinical Practice
• Preparing for 2026: Telehealth Coding & Billing Essentials
• Long COVID Unmasked: Pearls from the AAPM&R Long COVID Collaborative's Consensus Guidance Statement
• PM&R Advocacy Update
• Integrating Spasticity Management: Practical Approaches for All PM&R Practices
• Expert Conversations in PM&R Practice: The AI-Powered Physiatrist’s Toolkit for Smarter Documentation, Stronger Appeals, and Enhanced Practice Efficiency

2024

• Advocacy 101: Getting Involved at the Local, State, and National Levels as PM&R Physicians
• A Piece of the Pie in Perioperative Medicine
• Unlocking Value-Based Care Opportunities for Physiatrists
• Breaking the Ice with Your C-Suite: Let’s Talk About ROI on APMs
• Cents and Sensibility: Navigating PM&R Billing Codes with Finesse
• AAPM&R Advocacy Update: Advancing Physiatry on Capitol Hill and Beyond
• New Medicare Coverage for Advanced Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Power Wheelchairs
• Inpatient Mastermind Series: Addressing Administrative Challenges with IRF Admissions
• Outpatient Mastermind Series: Developing a Successful Spasticity Practice
• Improving Patient Care with the AAPM&R Registry: Use Case Scenarios
• Profitable Compassion: Diverse Approaches to Creating Spasticity Clinics
• AAPM&R'S Practice Guidance: Orthobiologic Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee

• Back to the Basics: Value-Based Payment 101
• Inpatient Evaluation and Management Documentation and Coding for 2023 and Beyond
• Advocacy 101: Getting Involved at the Local, State, and National Levels as PM&R Physicians
• AAPM&R Advocacy Priorities: Advancing PM&R on Capitol Hill and Beyond 
• Billing Brilliance: How PM&R Physicians Can Navigate Inpatient Billing Changes with Ease 
• Challenging Medicare Advantage Denials of PM&R Physician Services
• Telehealth in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation