The Show-Me-State Update is your source for the latest news and information impacting the medical community. Time-sensitive information and requests related to healthcare, advocacy issues, and professional development opportunities from MAFP are included.

March 2026 – MAFP News & Events

New MAFP Board Announced

We are pleased to announce and congratulate the newly appointed Missouri Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors. On behalf of MAFP, thank you to each of these leaders for their willingness to serve and for stepping forward on behalf of family physicians across Missouri.

As part of a thoughtful and intentional governance evolution, MAFP is transitioning to a smaller, more focused Board, moving from up to 39 members to a group of 17. This strategic shift better aligns our governance structure with the size and needs of our organization, supports open and meaningful dialogue, and positions the Academy to respond nimbly and effectively to the evolving landscape of family medicine in Missouri. We received a tremendous response to our open call for Board members, and we are confident the Nominating Committee selected an outstanding slate of physician leaders.

This Board begins its service at an exciting and pivotal moment for MAFP. As we embark on this new chapter, the leadership, perspective, and engagement of these individuals will be instrumental in guiding the Academy forward. Board service is both meaningful and impactful, shaping the future of family medicine, strengthening advocacy and education efforts, and supporting the professional well-being of physicians statewide. We are grateful for their commitment to advancing the mission of MAFP and improving the health of patients and communities throughout Missouri.

Please join us in congratulating the following members of the MAFP Board of Directors:
MAFP Board of Directors

Executive Commission
• Chair: Natalie Long, MD (Columbia)
• President: Beth Rosemergey, DO, FAAFP (Kansas City)
• President-Elect: Lauren Wilfling, DO, MBA, FAAFP (St. Louis)
• Secretary/Treasurer: Julia Flax, MD, FAAFP (Springfield)
• Board Member At-Large: Andi Selby, DO, MS, FAAFP (Branson)

1-Year Term, expiring in 2027
• Misty Todd, MD (Sedalia)
• Eric Lesh, DO, FAAFP (Springfield)
• Robert Schneider, DO (Kirksville)

2-Year Term, expiring in 2028
• Andi Selby, DO, MS, FAAFP (Branson)
• Stacy Jefferson, MD, DipACLM (St. Louis)
• Kento Sonoda, MD, FAAFP, FASAM, AAHIVS (St. Louis)

3-Year Term, expiring in 2029
• Bradley Garstang, MD (Kansas City)
• Amy Braddock, MD, MsPH, DABOM (Columbia)
• Kelly Dougherty, MD (St. Louis)

Resident Board Member
• Madison Evans, DO, PGY1, University of Missouri–Capital Region FMR (Jefferson City)

Student Board Member
• Courtney Shubert, OMS III, A.T. Still University (Kirksville / Gallatin)

AAFP Delegation
• Kate Lichtenberg, DO, MPH, FAAFP, AAFP Delegate (St. Louis)
• Jamie Ulbrich, MD, FAAFP, AAFP Alternate Delegate (Marshall)

We look forward to the leadership and collaboration this Board will bring as MAFP continues to serve and advocate for family physicians across our state. If you have a question for one of MAFP’s Board Members, you can email board@mo-afp.org.

Thank you for being part of the MAFP community and for supporting the leaders who serve on your behalf.

Help Shape MAFP’s Future

As the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians looks ahead, we want to be guided by what matters most to you. MAFP leadership will gather for a strategic planning session in late May to reflect on where we are and, more importantly, where we should go next. Your input will play a vital role in shaping that conversation.  

We invite all MAFP members to complete a brief survey designed to gather your perspectives on priorities, opportunities, and challenges facing family medicine in Missouri. The survey was designed to be completed in under 3 minutes by using intuitive sliders to rank how MAFP should prioritize what matters to you. It also gives respondents the ability to expand their thoughts in text boxes as they wish. Whether you’re early in your career, well-established in practice, or somewhere in between, your experiences and ideas will help ensure MAFP’s work remains relevant, responsive, and physician-driven by providing quantitative and qualitative data to our strategic planning session.  The survey is open to all current and future family physicians in Missouri. 

The survey is short, confidential, impactful, and open through April. Taking just a few minutes now will help guide decisions that influence MAFP’s advocacy, education, and support for family physicians in the years ahead. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mafpmembersurvey2026  

Thank you for your engagement, your leadership, and your continued commitment to family medicine. We’re grateful for your voice—and we look forward to putting it to work. 

Family Physician Advocacy Day Success

Thank you to everyone who traveled to the State Capitol to participate in Advocacy Day February 23-24! It was inspiring to see 76 members take time out of their busy schedules to meet directly with their legislators. Attendees were able to meet with at least 23 Senators and 40 Representatives.  After learning advocacy techniques and receiving a great presentation from Speaker Jon Patterson, MD on Monday, our group descended upon the Capitol to distribute a personalized copy of the MAFP 2026 Advocacy Day Issues Summary to every office.  Attendees delivered written personal testimony of their own and their patients’ lived experiences to legislators so they have tangible evidence of how their decisions impact real people. 

Members are always welcome to meet with their legislators and MAFP.  MAFP will help schedule a meeting and even drive you to the Capitol from our office. Your legislators love when constituents come to visit.  Please call or e-mail the MAFP Office and we’ll find a time for you to meet with your legislators on a day you can sneak away from clinic.  

Following a live-streamed policy briefing for all members on Monday evening, attendees became acquainted with key legislative priorities to discuss with state representatives and senators. Attendees were encouraged to share real-world stories from their practices and training experiences to connect policy decisions to patient experiences. These conversations emphasized the importance of supporting the primary care workforce, protecting patient access to care, and ensuring physicians can continue to meet the needs of their communities.  The strong presence of residents and medical students underscored the future of family medicine and the importance of continued engagement in advocacy efforts. 

Whether you’ve been every year or still have it on the to-do list, consider joining us next year. Your voice is essential in shaping policies that support family physicians and the patients we serve. 

Represent Missouri at the AAFP National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL)

The Missouri Academy of Family Physicians will once again send a full slate to the AAFP National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL). NCCL brings together family physicians from across the country to connect, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue around leadership development, advocacy, and the future of family medicine Thursday, April 23, 2026 to Saturday, April 25, 2026 in Kansas City. It’s a unique opportunity to elevate the voice of constituencies in our state, share ideas, and bring back insights that strengthen our Academy and support family physicians statewide.   

NCCL member constituencies include:  

• Physicians who identify as women and those physicians who are supportive of and aligned with the issues faced by this group 
• BIPOC physicians and those physicians who are supportive of and aligned with the issues faced by this group 
• New physicians (i.e., those who completed residency or extended training immediately following residency within the past 7 years) and those physicians who are supportive of and aligned with the issues faced by this group 
• International Medical Graduates (i.e., those who graduated from a medical school outside the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico) and those physicians who are supportive of and aligned with the issues faced by this group 
• Physicians who identify as LGBTQ+ and those physicians who are supportive of and aligned with the issues faced by this group 

NCCL is held in conjunction with the Annual Chapter Leadership Forum in Kansas City where the MAFP Executive Commission and Team will meet with colleagues around the country to learn how to better serve you. 

The 2026 AAFP Leadership Conference Delegation is: 

More information at https://www.aafp.org/events/aclf-nccl/nccl.html

2026 CME Opportunities

MAFP is pleased to offer two exceptional CME opportunities in 2026. Members are encouraged to register early.

“I enjoyed the shorter format, relaxed atmosphere, panel discussion and yoga. Very good topic for our practices.”

“That was so helpful and so much more than I was expecting!”

Women’s Health Symposium: Practical CME for Family Physicians 

August 28–29, 2026 | Springfield, MO 

Don’t miss this dynamic, highly engaging conference designed for family physicians who care for women across the lifespan. This unique educational experience follows a woman’s health journey from pre-teen years through their golden years, delivering practical, immediately applicable insights at every stage.  

Hosted at the beautifully renovated historic Hotel Vandivort in vibrant downtown Springfield, this conference combines high-quality CME with a relaxed, collegial atmosphere. Learn from expert faculty, exchange clinical pearls with peers, and participate in interactive group consults that tackle real-world challenges in women’s health. You’ll leave energized, connected, and better equipped to provide exceptional care with both new knowledge and new professional friendships. 

“That was so helpful and so much more than I was expecting!”
— 2025 Obesity Symposium Attendee 

“I enjoyed the shorter format, relaxed atmosphere, panel discussion, and yoga. Very good topic for our practices.”
— 2052 Obesity Symposium Attendee 

Registration Rates 

• $325 – MAFP Member 
• $375 – Non-Member 
• $250 – One-Day MAFP Member 
• $300 – One-Day Non-Member 

Register: https://www.mo-afp.org/symposium/ 

Hotel Accommodations – Hotel Vandivort is offering an exclusive discounted room rate for Women’s Health Symposium attendees. 

• Rate: $199 + taxes per night 
• Arrival: Friday, August 28, 2026 
• Departure: Saturday, August 29, 2026 
• Reservation deadline: Monday, July 27, 2026 (subject to availability thereafter) 

Book your room
Hotel Vandivort Booking Link: https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=47446&Chain=6052&arrive=2026-08-28&depart=2026-08-29&adult=1&child=0&group=M2SC888 

Note: During the booking process, guests must indicate who will be paying for the reservation in the “Special Requests” box. 

34th Annual Fall Conference 

November 13–14, 2026 | Lake of the Ozarks 

“The people! The leaders. The speakers. The curriculum. Terrific conference!”
— 2025 Annual Fall Conference Attendee

“Great variety of topics—most of which I will use in my practice.”
— 2025 Annual Fall Conference Attendee

Early-bird registration discount is available until 9/1/2026, so register early!  Late registration penalty will be added starting 10/13/2026. 
Register: https://www.mo-afp.org/annual-fall-conference/ 

Save The Date: Future Conferences

• Midwest Mental Health Symposium – June 11-12, 2027 | The Elms Hotel & Spa | Excelsior Springs, MO
• 35th Annual Fall Conference – September 10–11, 2027 | Union Station | St. Louis, MO
• 36th Annual Fall Conference – September 27–28, 2028 | Union Station | St. Louis, MO

Additional details on 2026 CME Opportunities, including confirmed speakers and session topics, will be announced soon. For questions, contact Andrea Holloway, MAFP Member Experience Manager, at aholloway@mo-afp.org or (573) 635-0830

Your Voice. Your Experience. Your Impact.

No matter your stage in practice, your voice matters—and we want to hear from you!

The Missouri Academy of Family Physicians is looking for article submissions for upcoming magazine issues. Share your knowledge, expertise, and accomplishments that can benefit, inform, or inspire your fellow family medicine physicians—whether it’s a promotion, award, research findings, clinical insight, emerging trend in your specialty, or unique experience from the field.

Use the Article Submission Form to submit your article for consideration. Medical students and residents are encouraged to submit scholarly articles or case reports with physician collaboration. Subspecialist physician colleagues are also invited to contribute content that supports family medicine.

For more info, contact Andrea Holloway, Member Engagement Manager, at aholloway@mo-afp.org.

Let’s build something meaningful together.

New Streamlined Recognition Program

The AAFP is launching a fully refreshed recognition program that will make it easier for chapters and individuals to participate in nominations for awards and other AAFP recognitions. The program was announced at the 2025 Congress of Delegates and Family Medicine Experience (FMX). 

The new program streamlines nominations (including self-nominations) for recognitions into four categories: 

• Leadership 
• Mentorship & Teaching 
• Service & Community Engagement 
• Career Longevity & Special Accomplishment  

Chapters may still nominate members and/or provide written recommendations for recognitions, but these supporting actions will now be optional. In addition, a new optional scale allows chapters to quickly express their level of support for a nominee without having to write a letter of recommendation. 

The new system includes a form allowing individuals to request support from their chapter. When the form is completed by a MAFP member, MAFP will receive a link allowing us to write a recommendation and/or check a box to indicate that we are: 

• Familiar with the member and highly supportive of the nomination 
• Familiar with the member and supportive of the nomination 
• Familiar with the member and neutral on the nomination 
• Familiar with the member and not supportive of the nomination at this time 
• Not familiar with the member  

Visit the AAFP Awards page at aafp.org/awards  for details. Nomination period will close February 15, 2026. 

Applications Now Open for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Programs 

Deadline: March 31, 2026 

The application window is now open for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Programs. Licensed primary care physicians in eligible disciplines, including family medicine, who serve in a HPSA (and meet a few other criteria) can receive loan repayment assistance through this program. 

FP Essentials Call for Authors 

The editors of FP Essentials are seeking proposals from potential authors through March 18, 2026. Author groups receive a $4,000 honorarium for preparing a manuscript and seeing it through to publication.  

​FP Essentials is a monthly monograph series that features comprehensive, up-to-date reviews of clinical topics important in family medicine. FP Essentials is indexed in PubMed/Medline and is one of the AAFP’s most popular CME activities.  

​Proposals are being solicited for these topics: 

• ​Gynecologic Procedures 
• ​Hematologic Disorders 
• ​Type 2 Diabetes Update 
• ​Valvular Heart Disease 

Click here submission requirements and other important information. The due date for submissions is March 18, 2026. 

Sandra Panther Scholarship 

Deadline: March 31, 2026 

The Center for the History of Family Medicine (CHFM) is proud to announce its annual Sandra L. Panther Fellowship in the History of Family Medicine. Named in honor of former AAFP Foundation Executive Director Sandra L. Panther, the fellowship encourages interested family physicians, residents, students, other health professionals, historians, scholars, educators, scientists and others to apply. 

The successful applicant will be awarded a fellowship grant in the amount of $3,000 to support travel, lodging and incidental expenses for research conducted at The Center for the History of Family Medicine on a project of their choosing dealing with any aspect of the history of General Practice, Family Practice, or Family Medicine in the United States. The fellowship will be awarded directly to the individual applicant and not to the institution where he or she may be employed. 

The deadline to apply is by 11:59 p.m. CT, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. All applications will be reviewed in April, with the Fellowship award announced by May 31, 2026. 

Complete fellowship rules, application forms, and instructions are available online through the Center’s website.  

AAFP’s Positions Regarding Recently Adopted and Updated Immunization Recommendations for the 2025-2026 Season 

Family physicians play a pivotal role in delivering preventive care, and it is crucial that coverage and payment policies are in harmony with evidence-based guidance to ensure patient access. To aid in this effort, the AAFP has published its 2025-2026 immunization schedules to serve as a practical tool for family physicians.  

Lead The Conversation on Flu Vaccination

As the trusted source of information for patients and communities, you need the latest resources from the AAFP for addressing flu vaccine hesitancy. 

The AAFP has released new influenza vaccination resources to help you improve vaccine confidence and increase vaccination rates among both your pediatric and adult patients. 

These include a CME On the Go podcast episode covering vaccine safety, efficacy and hesitancy, with an emphasis on practical guidance on the use of quadrivalent and adjuvanted influenza vaccines. 

Explore and integrate these timely, clinically relevant tools to support stronger patient conversations. Learn More 

Family Medicine Advocacy Rounds – Issue 44, February 2026 

Welcome to Family Medicine Advocacy Rounds — the American Academy of Family Physicians’ monthly tip sheet to educate, engage and update you on the latest policy issues affecting family physicians and their patients. 

AAFP Applauds Health Provisions in Minibus 

Earlier this month, the House passed the Senate-amended government funding package and President Trump signed it into law, ensuring continued operations for key federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services.  

The bipartisan agreement reflects successful cross-party negotiations and provides meaningful stability for health care programs that patients and clinicians rely on every day. 

The package includes several significant health care advancements, including:  

• A multi-year reauthorization of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program through 2029 
• Continued funding for Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps through the end of the year 
• A two-year extension of telehealth flexibilities through 2027 
• A reauthorization of the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act and Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early (PREMIE) Reauthorization Act 

Together, these provisions strengthen the primary care workforce, expand access in underserved communities and preserve virtual care options for patients.  

AAFP Urges Congress to Make Health Care More Affordable 

The AAFP urged Congress to make health care more accessible and affordable for Americans. In our letter in response to recent hearings with health insurance executives, the AAFP outlined practices that undermine the viability of primary care and can harm patient outcomes, including: 

• Practice acquisitions to maximize profits
• Downcoding payments for office visits 
• Lower physician payments in Medicare Advantage 
• Inadequate investment in primary care
• Utilization management that delays care 
• Medicare Advantage coding practices that fragment care 

The AAFP encourages Congress to pass several policies that would rein in some of these tactics and ensure that our nation is meaningfully investing in primary care. Some specific bills cited in the letter include the: 

• Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3514 / S. 1816)
• Prompt and Fair Pay Act (H.R. 4559) 
• Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act (H.R. 2433) 
• Safe Step Act (H.R. 5509) 

AAFP Comments on Proposed Medicare Advantage and Part D Changes 

Why it matters: Medicare Advantage policies directly affect primary care delivery. A 2023 AAFP survey found that 18% of patients in family medicine practices were enrolled in MA plans, underscoring the program’s impact on day-to-day care for older adults and patients with complex needs. 

What we’re working on: The AAFP recently submitted comments on CMS’s proposed Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D rule. In 2023, CMS finalized a requirement that plans publish an annual health equity analysis of utilization management.  

• The AAFP strongly supported this proposal, which would make the use and impact of prior authorization much more transparent. Our letter urged CMS to maintain the reporting requirements and extend similar oversight to Part D plans.  

• While we appreciate prior public commitments by insurers to streamline, simplify and reduce the burden of prior authorization, these efforts are voluntary and subject to no enforcement by anyone other than the plans themselves.  

• Our comments also supported CMS proposals to streamline the process for beneficiaries to change plans when their physician leaves a plan’s network and encouraged CMS to consider Star Ratings measures that evaluate physician experience with plan operations and a plan’s investment in primary care. 

Family Physicians: Discrimination Harms Mental and Physical Health 

The AAFP, together with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association, urged HHS to drop a proposed change to its disability nondiscrimination rule under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  

The proposal would exclude gender dysphoria from the definition of disability, which is likely to create confusion for patients and clinicians. Adding new language could increase administrative burden, delay care and weaken protections for vulnerable patients.  

New Research: Regular Access to Primary Care Is Associated With Lower Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Adults and Children 

Regular access to primary care is strongly linked to lower hospital use, reduced costs and higher rates of preventive care for both adults and children with chronic disease, according to new research from the AAFP’s Robert Graham Center.  

The new report, Investing in Primary Care: The Missing Strategy in America’s Fight Against Chronic Disease, examines how primary care supports prevention, early detection and management of leading causes of illness and death, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Key findings include: 

• Adults with a usual source of primary care have 20% lower odds of hospitalization and 11% fewer emergency department visits, while children with chronic conditions experience about 50% fewer avoidable ED visits and hospitalizations.  

• Ongoing primary care is also associated with substantially lower total health care spending—nearly 54% lower for adults and 40% lower for children—and markedly higher uptake of recommended preventive services. 

What We’re Reading 

• AAFP EVP and CEO Shawn Martin wrote an op-ed in Chief Healthcare Executive about how the country must double down on investment in primary care to ensure that everyone has access to a family physician. 

• Former AAFP president Steve Furr, MD, FAAFP, was joined the Mayo Clinic’s Health Matters podcast to discuss the urgent need for policies that improve access to care in rural communities. 

• Modern Healthcare featured a recent AAFP letter advocating for Medicare payment reform, particularly citing that budget neutrality requirements squeeze patients and physicians.