AMA in the News

AMA in the News: November 2024

. 6 MIN READ

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. Many doctors face another cut in Medicare reimbursements

    1. Marketplace (NPR), Nov. 25, 2024
    2. Everything about running a medical practice has been getting more expensive, especially in the last few years—salaries are up, rent is up, equipment and office supplies are up.
    3. “At the same time, what Medicare has paid us has gone down,” said Bruce Scott, MD, an ear, nose and throat doctor in Louisville, Kentucky, and president of the American Medical Association.

  2. Lack of workplace control fans the flames of doc burnout

    1. Medpage Today, Nov. 25, 2024
    2. The analysis of data from 2,339 physicians revealed that those who reported having poor control over their workload had higher levels of burnout (OR 3.83, 95% CI 2.99-4.90), Christine A. Sinsky, MD, of the American Medical Association (AMA) in Chicago, and colleagues reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (Free registration is required to view content.)

  3. AMA president-elect confronts a new challenge: A brain tumor

    1. MedPage Today, Nov. 22, 2024
    2. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, was diagnosed with grade 2 glioma after experiencing aphasia at AMA meeting. (Free registration is required to view content.)

  4. What’s behind the remarkable drop in U.S. overdose deaths

    1. New York Times, Nov. 21, 2024
    2. Moreover, the rise in opioid treatment prescriptions is not uniform (PDF), and access to treatment is still limited, obstacles to further lowering fatality as well as overall addiction rates, the American Medical Association said in a report on the opioid crisis released on Thursday. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

  5. Consumers have faced the challenge of limited health insurance options for the past decade, says AMA report

    1. Medical Economics, Nov. 20, 2024
    2. “For too many Americans living in highly concentrated health insurance markets, choosing medical coverage feels like having no choice at all,” Bruce A. Scott, MD, president of the AMA, said in an AMA release. “The AMA strongly encourages a dialogue among regulators, policymakers, lawmakers and others to reverse the trend toward health insurance consolidation and create a better, more open and competitive marketplace to benefit patients.”

  6. Notable│Latino Leaders: Rodrigo Sierra 

    1. Crain’s Chicago Business, Nov. 18, 2024
    2. Sierra oversees communications strategy and media engagement, contributing to 10 consecutive years of membership growth. His team secured over 125 billion media impressions in 2023 and significantly increased the AMA's visibility across major outlets. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

  7. More state boards and hospitals drop invasive questions on mental health, but there’s more work to do

    1. Chief Healthcare Executive, Nov. 13, 2024
    2. Simmons says these efforts have been building for years, and she credits the work of the American Medical Association and the Federation of State Medical Boards for pushing for changes in applications.

  8. AMA aims to cut retrospective denials: 4 things to know

    1. Becker’s Hospital Review, Nov. 12, 2024
    2. The AMA's advocacy and FixPriorAuth campaign have resulted in state and federal policymakers working towards prior authorization reforms in 2024, including CMS introducing regulations to improve efficiency for patients and physicians and reduce prior authorization delays. In 2024, more than 12 states enacted AMA-supported laws to cut back on administrative burdens and care delays from prior authorization requirements. 

  9. AMA works to right-size prior auths

    1. HME News, Nov. 12, 2024
    2. The American Medical Association will consider legislative and legal actions to fight retrospective denial of payment for care that has been pre-certified by an insurer. 

  10. Charging for patient messages? American Medical Association blasts physicians' inbox overload

    1. BenefitsPro, Nov. 12, 2024
    2. The AMA appears to be on track to emphasize existing AMA guidelines that call for health insurers and health plans to pay physicians for their time rather than to set a new policy on physicians' work on patient messaging systems.

  11. AMA calls for regulatory and injunctive actions for unpaid preauthorized care

    1. Medical Economics, Nov. 12, 2024
    2. During the meeting, 700 physicians and medical students voted in favor of policy that would ensure AMA support of a federal prohibition on the inappropriate denial of payment for medical care that is both medically necessary and pre-certified. 

  12. Paying docs for prior authorizations among the hot topics at the AMA meeting

    1. MedPage Today, Nov. 10, 2024
    2. Paying physicians and their staff for their time spent on dealing with prior authorization requests and denials was a lively topic of conversation at Saturday's session of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates Interim Meeting in Orlando, Florida. (Free registration is required to view content.)

  13. Fixing Medicare cuts, reforming prior auth among AMA's top priorities, says AMA Prez

    1. MedPage Today, Nov. 9, 2024
    2. "Now, Congress must prioritize this legislation during the lame duck session," Bruce Scott, MD, said. "Make no mistake, this is going to be an uphill battle. But I believe that if a unified voice of physicians comes together from across the country, from every state and specialty, we can fix it." (Free registration is required to view content.)

  14. Don’t wait for a holiday surge. Now is a good time to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines

    1. Associated Press, Nov. 7, 2024
    2. “Our best defense to protect ourselves, our loved ones and all those around us is a simple shot,” Dr. Bruce A. Scott, MD, president of the American Medical Association, said in a recent statement.

  15. New bill aims to increase physician pay, block Medicare cuts

    1. Healthleaders, Nov. 7, 2024
    2. The American Medical Association has been urging Congress to take action, emphasizing that Medicare reimbursement for physician services, when adjusted for inflation, has steadily declined 29% since 2001.

  16. Physician advocacy groups slam CMS' pay cut

    1. Becker’s ASC Review, Nov. 6, 2024
    2. "To put it bluntly, Medicare plans to pay us less while costs go up," American Medical Association President Bruce Scott, MD, said in a statement. "You don't have to be an economist to know that is an unsustainable trend, though one that has been going on for decades. For physician practices operating on small margins already, this means it is harder to acquire new equipment, harder to retain staff, harder to take on new Medicare patients, and harder to keep the doors open, particularly in rural and underserved areas." (Free registration is required to view content.)

  17. Doc groups blast 2.8% cut in Medicare physician fee schedule final rule

    1. MedPage Today, Nov. 4, 2024
    2. "Now there are only a precious few legislative days left," Bruce Scott, MD, added. "Unless Congress acts during the lame duck, the cuts will go through. Physicians and patients are watching, wondering if Congress is up to the task of fixing this broken reimbursement system. Thankfully, there are signs that lawmakers recognize the gravity of the situation." (Free registration is required to view content.)

  18. Notable Leaders in Healthcare: James Madara 

    1. Crain’s Chicago Business, Nov. 4, 2024
    2. For 14 years, Dr. Madara has led the AMA, overseeing 1,300 employees and $495 million in revenue. He has strengthened the AMA's financial standing and membership, championing initiatives like Health2047 to create digital tools that reduce clinical burden and a strategic plan to improve health equity in underserved communities. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

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