By the 2024-2025 AASM Advocacy Committee
2024 Goals of the AASM Advocacy Committee
- Build legislative relationships and grassroots support.
- Review and update AASM resources.
- Set advocacy priorities with AASM leadership.
- Organize Sleep Hill Day advocacy on Capitol Hill.
- Recruit new members and stakeholders.
- Support Congressional Sleep Health Caucus speakers.
- Partner with organizations to amplify our voice.
In a year marked by shifting healthcare policies and growing public awareness of sleep’s critical role in overall health, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) took decisive action to advance the science and advocacy of sleep medicine. At the heart of these efforts is the AASM Advocacy Committee, whose central mandate is to provide nonpartisan guidance and support for implementing AASM policy at local, state, and federal levels. By developing strategies to engage members in grassroots advocacy and advancing key legislative goals, the committee plays a pivotal role in shaping sleep health policy nationwide.
In 2024, the Advocacy Committee brought sleep disorders—conditions affecting millions of Americans each year—into sharper national focus, achieving tangible progress for patients, clinicians, and the broader understanding of sleep as a cornerstone of health. From championing evidence-based telehealth expansion and later school start times to supporting science-driven time policy, the committee operates at the intersection of research, policy, and real-world impact. The committee presented its goals and achievements at SLEEP 2025.1
Curious how expert advocacy shapes access to care, safer sleep environments, and progress toward health equity? Here’s an inside look at how the AASM’s science-backed initiatives are advancing national sleep health.
Ensuring Access to Telehealth
In response to the continued demand for virtual care, the AASM published a telehealth position statement2 and provided resources—ranging from fact sheets to legislative outreach—to promote the permanence of telemedicine in sleep care. These activities have aimed to position telehealth as an integrated part of patient care, supporting ongoing accessibility and flexibility for clinicians and patients.
Advancing Science-Based Time Policy
AASM’s advocacy for Permanent Standard Time (pST) reflects an evidence-driven approach. Committee members, including representatives from Save Standard Time, have contributed to webinars, drafted legislative materials, and engaged with policymakers to share research on the connection between time policy and circadian health. By providing factual resources and supporting public conversations, the committee has helped ensure that policy discussions are informed by scientific consensus. (More resources at Ditch DST.)
Supporting Physicians and Sustainable Practice
Financial stability and fair reimbursement remain central to the committee’s advocacy. Through coalition letters, payer campaigns, and legislative support—including bills that address Medicare reimbursement and pay equity for sleep specialists—the AASM aims to safeguard the resources essential for clinicians to provide high-quality care. Ongoing efforts prioritize both practitioner well-being and patient access.
Reducing sleep health disparities guided the committee’s efforts in 2024. The AASM advocated for the inclusion of sleep medicine in federal programs such as the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment, lent support to rural medical training, and amplified educational opportunities regarding the societal determinants of sleep health. These commitments reflect the belief that restorative sleep should be within reach for all populations, regardless of geography or background.
Fostering Education and Research
By raising awareness about the importance of later school start times and supporting research funding for sleep and circadian health, the AASM is working to strengthen the evidence base for effective sleep health policy. Committee actions have included support for Congressional sleep research initiatives and facilitating educational outreach to both members and policymakers.
Engaging with Policy and Patient Communities
The AASM Advocacy Committee works closely with national organizations, patient advocacy groups, and coalitions. These partnerships include support for acts that improve patient access to oxygen therapy, promote safety in sleep device recalls, and advocate for dedicated sleep health programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By preparing experts for Congressional testimony and sharing resources widely, the committee contributes to a broader, collaborative effort to advance the field of sleep medicine.
Looking Ahead
Initiatives for 2025 are expected to build on this foundation by addressing topics such as women’s sleep health, continued expansion of rural care, and sustaining telehealth gains. Through measured advocacy and partnership, the AASM aims to continue shaping a future where sleep health is recognized as essential for overall well-being.
The 2024-2025 AASM advocacy committee members are Sally Ibrahim (chair), Alison Kole (vice chair), Eric Albrecht (program manager), Beth Malow (AASM-Sleep Research Society liaison), Joanna Fong-isariyawongse, Lindsay McCullough, Sudha Tallavajhula, Ashtaad Dalal, Bianca Stewart, Kunwar Vohra, Kin Yuen, Karin G. Johnson, Joyce K. Lee-Iannotti, Mohan P. Philip, Steven Plenzler, Yasaman Safarpour, Vidya Krishnan (past chair), and Emerson Wickwire (board liaison). Learn more at
References
1. Ibrahim S, Lee-Iannotti J, Kole A, et al. 1340 American Academy of Sleep Medicine advocacy: Analysis of goals and achievements in 2024. Sleep. 48 (Issue suppl_1; 2025 May 2025: A576-7.
2. Vohra KP, Johnson KG, Dalal A, et al. Recommendations for permanent sleep telehealth: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. J Clin Sleep Med. 2025 Feb 1;21(2):401-4.
