June 24, 2022: Advocacy Update spotlight on the 2022 AMA Annual Meeting

The 2022 AMA Annual Meeting covered a wide range of critical topics facing the medical community and the country. In a speech to physician and medical student leaders at the opening session of the meeting, then-AMA President Gerald E. Harmon, MD, revealed the AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians. Designed to renew the country’s commitment to physicians and ensure that their needs are met, the plan includes five key goals to re-build health care so that it works better for physicians and all those they serve:

• Supporting telehealth to maintain coverage and payment 
• Reforming Medicare payment to promote thriving physician practices and innovation  
• Stopping scope creep that threatens patient safety  
• Fixing prior authorization to reduce the burden on practices and minimize care delay for patients  
• Reducing physician burnout and addressing the stigma around mental health 

The following are some of the other major issues that were discussed at the meeting: 

• Gun violence: Adopted new policies related to firearm violence and applauded the recent bipartisan gun deal 
• Access to care: Endorsed several policies to help maintain affordable access to quality health care coverage after the end of the public health emergency 
• Reproductive health: Opposed increased criminalization of reproductive health services and urged the FDA to make oral contraceptives available over the counter 
• Climate change: Adopted new policy declaring climate change a public health crisis 
• Disinformation: Developed a comprehensive strategy to combat the spread of health-related disinformation spread by health professionals 
• Public health services: Adopted several policies aimed at improving the health of the nation, including increasing awareness for the new 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline telephone program, advocating for adequate public health funding for rural public health services, and recognizing loneliness as a public health issue  

For more information, view the complete day-by-day overview of meeting highlights.

• June 24, 2022: National Advocacy Update
• June 24, 2022: State Advocacy Update