Fighting for Your Care: What Dr. Phillips Is Doing in Washington, D.C.

Photo Caption: Dr. Chris Phillips with Congressman Comer and his team

Dr. Chris Phillips joined more than 100 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) leaders, volunteers and patients from across the nation in Washington, D.C. earlier this month for the ACR’s Advocates for Arthritis fly-in. 

This year’s event was a critical opportunity to address urgent policy challenges threatening rheumatology practices and patient care.

Representatives of the ACR and advocates for rheumatology practices met with lawmakers to push for meaningful reforms. Dr. Chris Phillips, Chair of the Committee for Rheumatologic Care for the American College of Rheumatology, met with Congressman Comer, as shown in the image. 

According to the ACR (source) advocates focused on four major priorities during their meetings with lawmakers: 

Medicare Reimbursement Reform

Advocates urged Congress to pursue long-term Medicare payment reform to stabilize reimbursements and prevent annual uncertainty. Lawmakers were reminded that continued cuts force practices to reduce services, limit new patient visits or even close—disproportionately harming rural and underserved communities.

National Research Funding

Advocates called for robust, sustained funding for the National Institutes for Health (NIH) to support critical research in lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions. Personal stories highlighted how past NIH-funded breakthroughs, such as biologics and JAK inhibitors, have transformed lives—and why further investment is essential.  

Enacting Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) drive up costs, restrict formularies and delay patient access to essential therapies. Advocates pushed for reforms to increase transparency, prohibit spread pricing and prioritize patient needs over PBM profits.

Protecting Medicaid Funding

Proposed Medicaid cuts would disproportionately harm rheumatology patients, many of whom rely on Medicaid for life-saving care. Advocates emphasized that rheumatic diseases are chronic and disabling. These patients cannot afford gaps in coverage.

Dr. Phillips and the team at Paducah Rheumatology encourage you to support these efforts and take action from home. 

Here are 3 easy ways to help: 

#1  email Congress on the issues that matter to you

#2 invest in RheumPAC

#3 follow current updates from the ACR’s office in Washington, D.C.