State, Regional, and Grassroots Advocacy

This episode explores how endocrinologists can influence the state and regional decisions that shape patient access and endocrine care in their communities. Speakers will discuss how to identify local policy opportunities, build relationships with decision-makers, collaborate with medical societies and community partners, and mobilize others around a shared goal.

Helpful Links

• American Medical Association—Federation of Medicine
• Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition—Advocacy Handbook
• National Conference of State Legislatures—Health

Practical and Effective Advocacy Skills

Endocrinologists witness how coverage and access barriers affect patient care, making them effective advocates to policymakers, insurers, PBMs, insurance commissioners, and AACE.

Using real-world examples, this episode explains how to identify systemic issues, gather evidence, make a clear request, engage decision-makers, build relationships, and follow up, while introducing the next episode on prior authorization, step therapy, and formulary barriers.

Navigating Prior Authorization and Formulary Barriers

This practical episode helps endocrine clinicians navigate prior authorization, step therapy, formulary exclusions, and other coverage barriers by identifying issues, meeting payer requirements, documenting clinical criteria, using appeals and escalation pathways, and creating efficient workflows. It also addresses responsible AI-assisted appeal drafting and when recurring barriers should be elevated to AACE or other policy channels.

Access to Diabetes Technology

This episode will explore practical strategies for improving access to diabetes technology, particularly CGMs. Using real-world scenarios, speakers will address coverage differences across Medicare, Medicaid, commercial plans, pharmacy benefits, and DME pathways; coding changes; and efficient practice workflows.