AMA in the News: October 2020

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. AMA Coronavirus survey: Physician practice revenue down 32%

   1. HealthLeaders Media, Oct. 29, 2020

   2. AMA President Susan Bailey, MD, says physician practices are struggling financially and need federal assistance.

      "Physician practices continue to be under significant financial stress due to reductions in patient volume and revenue, in addition to higher expenses for supplies that are scarce for some physicians. More economic relief is needed now from Congress as some medical practices contemplate the brink of viability, particularly smaller practices that are facing a difficult road to recovery," Bailey said in a prepared statement.

2. Doctors worry coronavirus pandemic may hit LGBTQ people harder than most

   1. CNBC, Oct. 29, 2020

   2. “In many places across the world and U.S., we don’t have good data collection,” said Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, the American Medical Association’s former board chair. “Because LGBTQ people are often invisible when it comes to data collection in a variety of contexts, including health care, that has really limited our ability to get out information about what’s going on.”

3. Trump's claim doctors are inflating COVID numbers is 'Facebook junk' says top scientist

   1. Newsweek, Oct. 26, 2020

   2. The American Medical Association said on Twitter: "Let's be clear physicians are not inflating the number of COVID-19 patients." It pointed to research published in the JAMA journal and in CDC reports that indicate the U.S. had significantly more deaths in 2020 than in previous years.

4. AMA says health insurance competition ebbing

   1. HealthLeaders Magazine, Oct. 14, 2020
   2. "For many of the 70 million Americans who live in highly concentrated health insurance markets, a lack of competition is a problem that keeps getting worse as consumers have more limited health insurance options to choose," AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, said in a media release.

5. AMA: Competition continues to dwindle in highly concentrated insurance markets

   1. Fierce Healthcare, Oct. 14, 2020
   2. The analysis, released Wednesday (PDF) from the American Medical Association (AMA), also found the number of highly concentrated markets, which largely result from mergers and acquisitions, increased from 2014 to 2019. The largest U.S. doctor group is worried that consolidation among insurers has the potential to affect premiums.

6. CDC urges Americans, particularly Black and Latinx communities to get the flu shot

   1. PHL17 News, Oct. 13, 2020
   2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s more important now than ever to get your flu shot, and medical experts say it is especially urgent for the Black and Hispanic communities to get one this year. Patrice Harris, MD, MA, immediate past president of the AMA and first African American woman to hold the position, joined us to explain why.

7. AMA launches physician collaboration to help doctors integrate behavioral health into primary care

   1. Fierce Healthcare, Oct. 13, 2020
   2. The AMA is spearheading an effort to help make behavioral health more accessible by providing best-in-class support to physicians working to combine mental and physical health services in their medical practices.

8. CDC, AMA focus on urging minority communities to get flu shot

   1. Newsy, Oct. 9, 2020
   2. The CDC, AMA and the Ad Council are reaching out to minority communities with extra ads and education to doctors and local health departments.

9. AMA president on the ACA: Americans must have 'affordable, meaningful coverage'

   1. Healthcare IT News, Oct. 8, 2020
   2. As a nonpartisan organization, she said, the AMA "encourages working on improving the ACA, as opposed to ditching it for a single-payer plan or another plan that hasn't been elucidated yet."
   3. "We believe it's crucial that all Americans have affordable, meaningful coverage," said Susan Bailey, MD, AMA president.

10. AMA has new CPT codes for dual flu-COVID-19 tests

    1. Becker’s Hospital Review, Oct. 8, 2020
    2. The American Medical Association updated its Current Procedural Terminology set to include updates to coding for tests that detect influenza and COVID-19.

11. AMA announces new CPT codes for tests aimed at detecting COVID-19 and flu

    1. Fierce Healthcare, Oct. 7, 2020
    2. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced new CPT codes for multi-virus tests used to detect COVID-19 and flu with a single test.

12. AMA adds CPT codes for multi-virus tests for COVID-19, Flu

    1. RevCycleIntelligence, Oct. 7, 2020
    2. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Medical Association (AMA) is adding two new codes to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set. The codes are for multi-virus tests that can detect both COVID-19 and other viruses, like the flu.  (Free registration is required to view content.)

13. Dr. Patrice Harris: ‘We are not hopeless and helpless against the flu. We have a tool in a toolbox and that is getting a flu vaccine.’

    1. MSNBC, Oct. 6, 2020
    2. A new ad campaign “No One Has Time For Flu” by the CDC, AMA, and Ad Council launched today encouraging Americans to get their flu vaccines. The ad is particularly aimed at the nearly 40% of Black & Hispanic adults in the U.S. who are undecided on whether they’ll get the flu vaccine. Leandris Liburd, MD, the associate director of the CDC's Office of Minority Health and Equity, and Patrice Harris, MD, MA, the immediate past president of the American Medical Association, join Steve Kornacki to discuss the importance of getting vaccinated amid the pandemic.

14. AMA, Ad Council, CDC launch flu vaccine campaign

    1. Fort Worth Business, Oct. 6, 2020
    2. Fort Worth physician Susan R. Bailey, MD, is the current AMA president. In a news release, she says:
    3. “The flu vaccine is a safe, effective step that physicians and public health experts recommend to protect patients and their loved ones from getting sick with influenza. The potential impact of a bad flu season during the COVID-19 pandemic could place added burden on medical resources, which is why we are teaming up to urge all people to get a flu vaccine this fall and thereby help prevent seasonal influenza infections.”

15. The 'No One Has Time for Flu' campaign

    1. ABC 7 Washington, Oct. 6, 2020
    2. As many as 45 million Americans get the flu each year–with more than 800,000 hospitalizations. This year it is particularly critical to get vaccinated, which is why the CDC, the American Medical Association, and the Ad Council are launching the ‘No One Has Time for Flu campaign.’ Patrice Harris, MD, MA, immediate past president of the American Medical Association, shared the importance of getting vaccinated.

16. Trump’s doctor leans on health privacy law to duck questions

    1. Washington Post, Oct. 5, 2020
    2. The role of White House physician involves a unique balancing act, said Susan Bailey, MD, president of the American Medical Association, calling it a “delicate dual obligation.”
    3. A president’s doctors “bear responsibility not only to the president, but also to a public counting on neutral, objective information,” Bailey said in a statement.
    4. “The patient-physician relationship is paramount in medicine, including the right to privacy and confidentiality that allows for open communication between the patient and physician, which all patients are entitled to,” she added. “At the same time, it is important for our presidents to provide open and transparent information about their health.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

17. 'A slap in the face': Families of COVID-19 victims slam president's downplaying of his diagnosis

    1. ABC News, Oct. 5, 2020
    2. Susan R. Bailey, MD, the president of the American Medical Association, urged Americans to keep heeding warnings from doctors and health experts.
    3. "We know vigilance is the best response to the COVID-19 pandemic because this virus doesn't feed on fear; it feeds on complacency," she said in a statement.

18. American Medical Association asks Supreme Court to strike Trump abortion rule

    1. The Hill, Oct. 2, 2020
    2. “The AMA strongly believes that our nation’s highest court must step in to remove government overreach and interference in the patient-physician relationship. Restricting the information that physicians can provide to their Title X patients blocks honest, informed conversations about all health care options—an unconscionable violation that is essentially a gag rule,” said AMA president Susan Bailey, MD.

19. Five AMA resources to promote physician well-being

    1. HealthLeaders Media, Oct. 2, 2020
    2. The American Medical Association has launched five online resources to help physicians promote their wellbeing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

20. Doctors ask Supreme Court to strike down Trump abortion rule

    1. Associated Press, Oct. 1, 2020
    2. “We do think this conflict needs to be resolved and we need to figure out how to deliver services under a program that has had bipartisan support for decades,” said AMA president Susan Bailey, MD.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

With an increased number of people reporting worsening mental health in recent years, it is imperative that people are aware of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) telephone program.

People experiencing a suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress can call, chat or text 988, and speak to trained crisis counselors. The national hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The previous National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will continue to be operational and route calls to 988 indefinitely.