Midwestern University Medical Students Advocate for Fair Reimbursement and Residency Growth in Springfield

Medical students from Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) traveled to Springfield on March 10th to advocate for two pressing healthcare priorities. They focused on protecting physicians from insurance downcoding and strengthening Illinois’ physician workforce through expanded residency training.

Participating in Illinois Osteopathic Advocacy Day, coordinated by the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society, the CCOM students met directly with legislators. They advocated for Senate Bill 3114 and House Bill 4735 to prevent insurers from automatically downcoding claims, as well as Senate Bill 2817 to expand the state’s Medical Residency Grant Program.

“We advocated for two key healthcare issues at the state capital,” said Anisa Ciaciura (CCOM ’29). “The first addressed downcoding to prevent insurers from automatically reducing claims and ensure fair reimbursement for the care physicians provide.”

Downcoding occurs when insurers reassign a claim to a lower-level billing code, often through algorithm-based reviews without physician oversight. The proposed legislation would prohibit automatic downcoding, require physician involvement in claims review, and improve transparency through clear clinical rationale and accessible appeals processes.

“The second issue focused on strengthening the physician workforce” Anisa added, “encouraging lawmakers to support Senate Bill 2817, which would expand residency training opportunities and help address the growing physician shortage in Illinois.”

According to the Illinois Osteopathic Medical Society, Illinois faces a significant physician shortage, with many communities designated as health professional shortage areas and a large share of the workforce nearing retirement. Limited residency positions force many graduates to train and eventually practice out of state. Senate Bill 2817 would expand residency slots and support new programs to improve access to care, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

For CCOM students, the day’s conversations highlighted that patient care extends far beyond the clinical setting.“Advocacy day in Springfield reminded me that becoming a good physician means advocating not only for the patients in front of you, but also for the policies that shape their care,” said Arianna Halani (CCOM ’28), who helped organize CCOM’s delegation. “This experience will help me become a better physician by showing me how important it is to have a voice beyond the exam room.”