AMA in the News: March 2023

AMA in the News covers media coverage and mentions about the American Medical Association. Find articles recognizing our efforts in health care, advocacy, medical education and improvements in public health. Read coverage on the achievements of our leadership and the members of the AMA community.

1. Physicians are a finite resource we need to protect

   1. KevinMD, March 30, 2023
   2. Health care leaders must attack the systemic problems that are driving burnout rather than just helping physicians and our patients cope with the dysfunction. The AMA’s Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians provides a road map to make the necessary changes as we emerge from these difficult last few years.

2. Physicians slam court ruling against ACA requirements for free preventive care

   1. Medical Economics, March 30, 2023
   2. AMA President Jack Resneck Jr., MD, called the ruling “deeply flawed.” Services for maladies ranging from cancer to hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, and childhood lead poising “could just go away,” Resneck’s statement said.
   3. “Providing insurance coverage for screenings and interventions that prevent disease saves lives —period,” Resneck said. “Invalidating this provision jeopardizes tools physicians use every day to improve the health of our patients.

3. AHA, AHIP, AMA, PHRMA alliance urges SCOTUS to uphold false claims ruling

   1. HealthLeaders, March 29, 2023
   2. AHA, AHIP, AMA, PhRMA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, biotech companies, defense contractors and other business lobbies, are urging the high court to uphold the 7th Circuit Court ruling.

4. FDA approves first over-the-counter version of opioid overdose antidote Narcan

   1. CNN, March 29, 2023
   2. About 1.2 million doses of naloxone were dispensed by retail pharmacies in 2021, according to data published by the American Medical Association—nearly nine times more than were dispensed five years earlier.

5. Drug overdose antidote Narcan goes over-the-counter

   1. Washington Post, March 29, 2023
   2. The American Medical Association on Wednesday said it hopes the drug is covered at little or no cost to consumers. “There are many over-the-counter preventive health medications that are covered by insurance, such as aspirin, vitamin D, and fluoride,” Bobby Mukkamala, chair of the group’s substance use and pain care task force, said in a statement. “Naloxone should be added to that list.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

6. Dreaded medical paperwork required by health insurers to be trimmed

   1. Wall Street Journal, March 29, 2023
   2. “Reducing the volume of prior authorization demands and implementing gold-carding programs are both central reforms we have sought,” American Medical Association President Jack Resneck Jr. said. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

7. Patients want test results ASAP

   1. PoliticoPRO, March 21, 2023
   2. “Unfortunately, new federal policies are indifferent to the harms that come to patients receiving bad news when least expected,” AMA President Jack Resneck said in an AMA Viewpoint. “And we know that many patients don’t want to receive bad news through an impersonal email or text message. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

8. Permission to Practice: Doctors, patients say insurance prior-authorizations put profits over people

   1. Investigative TV, March 20, 2023
   2. In a 2022 American Medical Association survey of physicians, responding doctors reported an average of 45 requests per-physician, per-week, up from an average of 31 per-week reported in the 2018 survey. The previous year’s survey found 84% of respondents said they’d seen an increase in the number of prior authorizations required over the preceding five years.

9. How time consuming is prior authorization for physicians, practices?

   1. Becker’s ASC Review, March 15, 2023
   2. Physicians and staff spend an average of two whole workdays per week completing prior authorizations, taking them away from patients and patient care for about 14 hours a week, according to a March 14 report (PDF) from the AMA that surveyed 1,001 practicing physicians. 

10. MedPAC calls for physician payments to be tied to inflation-based index

    1. Medical Economics, March 15, 2023
    2. “Having surveyed the health care landscape, MedPAC recognized that physician pay has not kept up with the cost of practicing medicine,” said American Medical Association President Jack Resneck Jr., MD, in a statement. “Yet, we feel strongly that an update tied to just 50% of MEI will cause physician payment to chronically fall even further behind increases in the cost of providing care. Congress should adopt a 2024 Medicare payment update that recognizes the full inflationary growth in health care costs.”

11. AMA survey finds prior authorization hurts patients and doctors

    1. Chief Healthcare Executive, March 14, 2023
    2. The American Medical Association released a survey Monday that found 94% of doctors say prior authorization leads to delays in patient care. One in three doctors (33%) say prior authorization has led to serious adverse events with their patients.

12. Physicians say health insurer prior authorization is rising and so are care delays

    1. Forbes, March 13, 2023
    2. “Health plans continue to inappropriately impose bureaucratic prior authorization policies that conflict with evidence-based clinical practices, waste vital resources, jeopardize quality care, and harm patients,” AMA President Dr. Jack Resneck Jr. said.

13. AMA, Surgeon General propose ways to prevent doctor burnout

    1. MedPage Today, March 10, 2023
    2.  "This has been a tough 3 years for our profession, and many drivers of burnout remain," said AMA President Jack Resneck Jr., MD, the moderator of the webinar, which was entitled "#FightingForDocs: AMA Recovery Plan Webinar on Addressing Physician Burnout."

14. Docs join insurers slamming Medicare Advantage payment proposal

    1. Axios, March 8, 2023
    2. The American Medical Association said CMS should consider a more transparent and longer comment period before changing the risk adjustment system and look into how changes would effect health care quality measures and underserved patients.