Springfield, IL – Medical students from the Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) spent March 10th at the Illinois State Capitol advocating for legislation aimed at preventing insurance downcoding and addressing the state’s growing physician shortage.
The students participated in Illinois Osteopathic Advocacy Day, an event coordinated by the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society, where they directly engaged with state legislators to voice support for Senate Bill 3114 and House Bill 4735, concerning downcoding, and Senate Bill 2817, focused on expanding medical residency programs.
“We advocated for two key healthcare issues at the state capital,” said Anisa Ciaciura, a CCOM student graduating in 2029. “The first addressed downcoding to prevent insurers from automatically reducing claims and ensure fair reimbursement for the care physicians provide.”
Downcoding, as described by the students, involves insurers reassessing submitted claims and assigning them lower billing codes, often through automated processes lacking physician oversight. The proposed legislation seeks to prohibit this automatic downcoding, mandate physician involvement in claims reviews, and increase transparency by requiring clear clinical justifications and accessible appeals processes.
The second legislative priority centered on bolstering the state’s physician workforce. “The second issue focused on strengthening the physician workforce,” Ciaciura added, “encouraging lawmakers to support Senate Bill 2817, which would expand residency training opportunities and assist address the growing physician shortage in Illinois.”
According to the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society, Illinois is facing a significant shortage of physicians, with numerous communities designated as health professional shortage areas. A substantial portion of the existing workforce is also nearing retirement, exacerbating the problem. Limited residency positions often compel graduates to pursue training and practice in other states.
Senate Bill 2817 aims to alleviate these issues by increasing the number of residency slots available and supporting the development of new programs, with a particular focus on improving access to care in rural and underserved areas.
For CCOM students, the day underscored the importance of advocacy as an integral part of medical practice. “Advocacy day in Springfield reminded me that becoming a great physician means advocating not only for the patients in front of you, but also for the policies that shape their care,” said Arianna Halani, a CCOM student graduating in 2028, who assisted in organizing the CCOM delegation. “This experience will help me turn into a better physician by showing me how important it is to have a voice beyond the exam room.”
Other CCOM students involved in organizing the event included Anokhee Desai (CCOM ’28), and Anish Kakarla (CCOM ’29). Asraar Ahmed, Abigail Anderson, Chandni Chandiramani, Vani Ganesh, Arianna Belar, Kristina Mallabo, Naomi Rajesh, and Shreyas Rajagopalan also participated in the advocacy day.
Students emphasized the value of connecting their personal experiences as trainees to the policy discussions. “Advocacy becomes much more meaningful when we bring our personal experiences into the conversation,” Ciaciura said. “As medical students, we have a unique perspective on how the two bills discussed affect our training, careers, and future patient panels; sharing those stories helps lawmakers better understand the real-world impact of their decisions.”
Chandni Chandiramani (CCOM ’28) highlighted the long-term benefits of engaging in advocacy. “Advocacy is an essential skill for physicians and learning how to practice it as a medical student prepares us to better serve our patients and communities in the future,” she said. “Since policies often seize years to develop and implement, the advocacy efforts we pursue today will help shape the conditions and opportunities of our future careers.”
Abigail Anderson (CCOM ’28) noted that the experience provided valuable insight into the policymaking process. “Participating in advocacy days allows medical students to spot how healthcare decisions are made behind the scenes,” she said. “If we want to strengthen and improve our field, we need to start practicing how to advocate for our patients and our profession…skills that will remain important throughout our careers.”
Anokhee Desai echoed this sentiment, stating, “Having the opportunity to engage with Illinois government officials and advocate for meaningful change this early in our careers is incredibly rewarding, especially knowing these efforts can directly impact the health of our future patients.”
Organizers indicated plans to increase student participation in future advocacy efforts, with some CCOM students scheduled to continue their advocacy work later this month at DO Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C.
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