ATAP Announces New Leadership Team to Intensify Fight for PBM Accountability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2026

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Dan Rene

202-329-8357 or dan@danrene.com

ATAP Announces New Leadership Team to Intensify Fight for PBM Accountability

Leaders to Press New Congress for Reforms That Lower Prescription Drug Costs and Protect Patients

[Washington, DC] [November 5, 2026] -- The Alliance of Transparent and Affordable Prescriptions (ATAP), a coalition of more than 20 patient advocacy, medical professional and healthcare organizations committed to addressing prescription drug affordability, announced its newly elected leadership team, following the October 2026 Board Meeting.

With a new Congress and Senate on the horizon, ATAP will intensify its efforts to educate federal policymakers about abuses within the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry and advance reforms that bring greater transparency and accountability to a system that too often puts corporate profits ahead of patients.

ATAP leaders will also continue working with state legislators across the country to advance policies that address harmful PBM practices, improve prescription drug affordability and protect patients' access to the medications their physicians prescribe.

“PBMs have spent years building a business model that too often rewards middlemen while patients pay the price,” said Dr. Robert Levin, ATAP President. “With a new Congress and Senate, we have an important opportunity to build on the momentum for reform and make clear to policymakers that transparency and accountability are not optional. Patients deserve a prescription drug system that puts their health ahead of corporate profits.”

ATAP expects the PBM industry to continue its charm offensive, promoting its preferred narrative while attempting to obscure the underlying problems with its business practices. ATAP will continue challenging those efforts with education, advocacy and a focus on the real-world consequences for patients, physicians, employers and independent pharmacies.

“The truth is easy to see, PBMs profit from a system that can drive up prescription drug costs and make it harder for patients to access the treatments they need,” Dr. Levin added. “We will not allow industry talking points to distract from the need for meaningful reforms.”

The new ATAP leadership team brings together physicians and healthcare professionals representing state rheumatology organizations and national medical management groups. The team will guide the coalition's continued work to inform policymakers, elevate the voices of patients and providers, and advance solutions at both the federal and state levels.

ATAP's new leadership includes:

• Dr. Robert Levin, President
  Florida Society of Rheumatology

• Dr. Michael Schweitz, ATAP Action Network President
  Florida Society of Rheumatology

• Dr. Madelaine Feldman, Vice President and ATAP Action Network Secretary/Treasurer
  Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations

• Dr. Christopher Morris, ATAP Action Network Vice President
  Tennessee Rheumatology Society

• Ethel Owens, CPC, CMPM, Treasurer
  National Organization of Rheumatology Management

• Dr. Sheeja Francis, Secretary
  New York State Rheumatology Society

• Dr. Gary Feldman, Board Member
  California Rheumatology Alliance

The new leadership team will build on ATAP's ongoing efforts to educate policymakers about PBM practices, including opaque pricing arrangements, rebate structures and financial incentives that can contribute to higher costs and restrict patient access to treatment.

“PBM reform is ultimately about protecting the patient and preserving the ability of physicians to make treatment decisions based on medical needs,” said Dr. Michael Schweitz, ATAP Action Network President. “We must ensure that federal and state policymakers understand how PBM practices affect patients and why stronger accountability is necessary.”

“Patients and physicians should not have to navigate a system in which financial incentives can take precedence over appropriate care,” said Dr. Madelaine Feldman, ATAP Vice President and ATAP Action Network Secretary/Treasurer. “ATAP will continue pressing for reforms that increase transparency, eliminate harmful incentives and ensure that patients benefit from savings in the prescription drug supply chain.”

“State legislatures remain an important front in the effort to rein in PBM abuses,” said Dr. Christopher Morris, ATAP Action Network Vice President. “We will continue working with state lawmakers and healthcare stakeholders to advance practical reforms that protect patients, support providers and make prescription medications more affordable.”

“Greater transparency is essential if employers, providers and patients are to understand where prescription drug dollars go,” said Ethel Owens, CPC, CMPM, ATAP Treasurer. “We need accountability throughout the system and policies that ensure the interests of patients are not overshadowed by the financial interests of intermediaries.”

“Patients need access to the medications their healthcare providers determine are appropriate for them, without unnecessary financial and administrative barriers,” said Dr. Sheeja Francis, ATAP Secretary. “ATAP will continue educating policymakers about the consequences of PBM practices and advocating for meaningful changes that put patients first.”

“Meaningful PBM reform requires sustained engagement with lawmakers and a clear understanding of how the system operates in practice,” said Dr. Gary Feldman, ATAP Board Member. “We will continue supporting efforts to expose harmful practices and promote policies that bring fairness and accountability to prescription drug pricing.”

As ATAP moves forward under its new leadership, the organization will continue building relationships with policymakers, working alongside patient and provider organizations, and advocating for reforms at the federal and state levels.

“PBMs may continue to invest in public relations campaigns designed to defend the status quo, but ATAP will remain focused on the facts and the people affected by these practices,” Dr. Levin said. “Our message to lawmakers is straightforward: patients deserve transparency, accountability and affordable access to the medications they need.”

About ATAP

ATAP was created in 2017 with a mission to address prescription drugs costs and patient access to affordable treatment by regulating PBM practices and reforming the drug industry through educational outreach and grassroots advocacy initiatives at both the state and federal levels. Driven by the reality that many patients struggle to afford their medications, the physician and patient advocacy organizations joined to shine a light on the abusive practices of PBMs. 

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To schedule an interview with an ATAP spokesperson please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or dan@danrene.com.

Please visit http://www.atapadvocates.com