December offers an opportunity for a rare and valuable pause to reflect on the progress and challenges presented in 2025. As the Trump-Vance administration and 119th Congress brought sweeping changes to the federal health landscape, ACPM brought visibility to the specialty of preventive medicine and its potential to strengthen the U.S. healthcare system through published policy recommendations and actions.
ACPM members from across the country engaged policymakers — sending a record number of grassroots messages pertaining to sustaining the Preventive Medicine pathways and meeting with Congressional staff both in-person and virtually. Members also contributed to building comment letters, testimony and RFI responses submitted to the administration and Congressional record, providing policymakers with the data and recommendations to incorporate prevention in all policies.
ACPM achieved significant victories in 2025 — namely fighting for PMR programs and ensuring funding wasn’t interrupted before residents were onboarded in the summer. ACPM also secured level-funding proposals for the HRSA PMR program in FY2026, although the final spending bills have not been signed into law. In addition, HRSA Administrator Tom Engels and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ann Sheehy visited the University of Wisconsin PMR program and learned about the impacts of the program and preventive medicine in greater detail.
When science was challenged, ACPM stood up for evidence-based recommendations in policy and preventive medical interventions, most recently standing firm on Hepatitis B prevention efforts. ACPM also worked to encourage continuity of the United States Preventive Services Task Force in 2025 and engaged the administration to incentivize prevention and wellness through coding, reimbursement and medical education.
December is the ideal window to reflect on the year’s progress, evaluate what resonated with policymakers and send gratitude to supporters of the specialty. Just as important, we can use this period to position ACPM to hit the ground running in January, when attention resets and new policy windows open.
ACPM needs your voice in 2026, with potential for many opportunities and challenges ahead. Members are vital to moving issues forward, connecting and communicating with legislators and partnering in your communities to build coalitions. Let’s use this season to gather strength and prepare for a powerful, unified push for prevention in the new year.
