A New Year of Advocacy: 2026 Academy Resolutions

Anna Hall, AAO-HNS Manager, Health Policy & Regulatory Affairs

As we enter a new year, the Academy’s Advocacy and Health Policy team invites AAO-HNS members to renew their commitment to meaningful advocacy and collaboration. Informed physicians make the best advocates, and we’re relying on your participation to ensure that the voice of otolaryngology is well represented at every level of government. Below, you will find important deadlines, ways to get involved, and major initiatives expected in 2026.

Invest in Advocacy: Contribute to ENT PAC’s “First 50” Campaign

ENT PAC is the Academy’s non-partisan, issue-driven federal Political Action Committee. Powered entirely by voluntary member support, ENT PAC is solely devoted to advancing the interests of otolaryngology and the continued health of the specialty. Your contributions enable our Advocacy team to directly engage members of Congress, their staff, and key policymakers on critical priorities—like securing fair Medicare reimbursement and fighting harmful cuts to physician payment. In 2025, ENT PAC achieved a record-breaking milestone, delivering its strongest year since 2013.

But we’re just getting started! The goal? To secure a minimum of 50 contributions of $1,000 or more by January 31. Becoming a “First 50” member means more than just acting early; members receive exclusive perks, such as quarterly calls with members of Congress, access to the ENT PAC lounge at the AAO-HNSF 2026 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Los Angeles, exclusive receptions, and other unique opportunities. Ready to join the growing chorus of otolaryngologists making our voices heard on Capitol Hill? Invest in ENT PAC today!*

Add Your Voice to Project 535

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry visits Dr. Richard Ferraro's clinic in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.The AAO-HNS established Project 535 to recruit 535 members to serve as key contacts for every seat in the U.S. Congress (100 Senators + 435 Representatives). In 2025, we expanded our grassroots efforts with our Capitol to Clinic campaign. This new initiative encourages ENT advocates to host members of Congress in your practices or meet with them in their district offices. These personal, face-to-face conversations help build meaningful, lasting relationships and ensure the specialty’s voice is heard when Congress considers critical healthcare legislation. By joining Project 535, you become an essential part of the Academy’s advocacy strategy and help amplify our priorities on Capitol Hill. Join Project 535 today!

Use the Academy’s Free Member Resources

The Academy offers a range of member resources designed to support coverage and reimbursement. Our Template Appeal Letters provide customizable, fill-in-the-blank letters with recommended documentation to help strengthen and streamline your appeal efforts. Additionally, the Academy maintains more than 125 Position Statements that outline clinical recommendations and policies, providing valuable support for clinical decision-making, reimbursement justification, and appeals.

Shape Local Policy as a State Legislative Tracker

Resolve to stay ahead of the curve, not just in the clinic but in the laws that affect your patients and your practice. Become a State Legislative Tracker for AAO‑HNS and get early insight into the bills that really matter, including CMV screening for newborns, hearing‑aid coverage, prior‑authorization rules, scope‑of-practice debates, and more. Your expertise and vigilance help shape outcomes in your state and strengthen our specialty nationwide!

Understand How Payment Policy Impacts Your Practice

Each year, your Academy engages with federal agencies to shape policies that impact otolaryngologists and your patients. Following the release of the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program final rule, the Academy’s health policy staff reviewed major updates and highlighted five provisions with particular relevance to otolaryngology. Rather than focusing solely on the rulemaking process, we are placing greater emphasis on helping members understand what these policy shifts mean for day-to-day practice. As additional guidance becomes available, the Academy will share further analysis with AAO-HNS members. Members with questions about how specific policies may affect your practice are encouraged to contact healthpolicy@entnet.org for additional support.

Code with Confidence

Accurate coding is the backbone of proper physician payment and smooth practice operations. The Academy offers specific tools that make navigating these complex scenarios a little easier. Our CPT for ENT series delivers regularly updated, Q&A-style guidance that breaks down new and revised CPT codes for common otolaryngology services in a clear, practical way. Additionally, our Clinical Indicators add another layer of support, offering straightforward checklists that strengthen documentation and assist with quality review.

Know the Quality Reporting Deadlines

January 1 marked the start of the 2026 Quality Payment Program performance year (PY) and the beginning of the reporting window for PY 2025. Below is a quick guide to key reporting deadlines, registration dates, and more.

List of Acronyms: CMS = Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; MIPS = Merit-Based Incentive Payment System; APMs = Alternative Payment Models; MVPs = MIPS Value Pathways

VOTE!

2026 is a pivotal election year, and physician participation in the electoral process is essential—particularly as Congress continues to operate with narrow margins. Fortunately, healthcare issues remain central in federal and state debates. Your vote helps shape the policy environment that affects your practice, your patients, and the future of our specialty. Take a moment to confirm your registration, make a plan to vote, and encourage your colleagues to do the same. A well-informed physician voice is critical in a year where every ballot counts!

Engage with Your Advocacy and Health Policy Experts

Engaging with the Academy’s legislative advocacy and health policy experts is one of the most important ways you can strengthen the Academy’s efforts on your behalf. We rely on members to share real-world experiences and alert us to unfair or confusing payer policies by emailing healthpolicy@entnet.org, so we can take action and address these issues at a national level. Moreover, when we send legislative action alerts, your voice matters! Contacting your representatives and senators helps ensure policymakers understand how payment and regulatory decisions affect your patients and your practice. To stay informed and ready to act, join the ENT Advocacy Network, where you’ll receive timely updates on federal policy, grassroots opportunities, and key initiatives shaping the future of otolaryngology.

If you have any questions, email the AAO-HNS Advocacy Team at healthpolicy@entnet.org. 

_{*Contributions to ENT PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Contributions are voluntary, and all members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery have the right to refuse to contribution without reprisal. Federal law prohibits ENT PAC from accepting contributions from foreign nationals. By law, if your contributions are made using a personal check or credit card, ENT PAC may use your contribution only to support candidates in federal elections. All corporate contributions to ENT PAC will be used for educational and administrative fees of ENT PAC, and other activities permissible under federal law. Federal law requires ENT PAC use its best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and the name of the employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year.  ENT PAC is a program of the AAO-HNS which is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code.}