American Medical Association in the News

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.

Amid coronavirus, need for flu vaccine 'as great as ever,' AMA says
1. Fox Business, Sept. 30, 2020
2. “Flu vaccination is part of a comprehensive public health strategy to reduce the burden of flu in the population and to preserve scarce health care resources as we continue to respond to the pandemic,” the AMA said in a press release Wednesday.
AMA gives thumbs up to California mental health reform law
1. Physician’s Weekly, Sept. 30, 2020
2. “This law sets a new precedent for all other states to protect patients with a mental illness or substance use disorder,” said Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, AMA immediate past president and chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force. “Not having to fight insurance companies to use the generally accepted standards of care for our patients will improve treatment and save lives.”
This might be your most important flu shot ever
1. CNN, Sept. 28, 2020
2. "Since hospitals and doctors' offices are going to be very busy caring for Covid-19 patients, a flu vaccine can help decrease burdens on the health care system and make sure that those who need medical care are able to get it," said Susan Bailey, MD, president of the American Medical Association and an immunologist in Fort Worth, Texas.
A prescription for the health profession: Anti-racism
1. Crain's Chicago Business, Sept. 24, 2020
2. Op-ed by Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH, chief health equity officer at the American Medical Association. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)
The happy talk about COVID-19 vaccines and herd immunity is deadly
1. Forbes, Sept. 24, 2020
2. The fallacy and danger of overemphasizing vaccine approval was brought home to me in recent conversation with James Madara, MD, CEO of the American Medical Association. Dr. Madara previously served as dean of the medical school and CEO of the hospitals at the University of Chicago.
The Health 202: Getting a coronavirus vaccine approved before Election Day will be impossible
1. The Washington Post, Sept. 23, 2020
2. A joint statement by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and the American Nurses Association called 200,000 deaths a “sober milestone” and urged Americans to take further steps to stop the spread of the virus.
3. “Those lost include mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, teachers, and frontline workers. The steps required to stop the spread of this virus should be well known by now, but with more than 6 million COVID-positive Americans, we say again: wear your mask, wash your hands, and practice physical distancing,” the statement said. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)
Federal funding bill relaxes Medicare loan repayment terms, delays DSH cuts
1. Modern Healthcare, Sept. 21, 2020
2. "Upon passage of the Continuing Resolution, patients should know that their physician is more likely to weather the pandemic's economic challenges. Congress recognized the danger, and rightfully modified the program so physicians can keep seeing patients," AMA president Susan Bailey, MD, said. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)
The N95 shortage America can’t seem to fix
1. The Washington Post, Sept. 21, 2020
2. “Maddening, frustrating, mind-blowing, aggravating, that’s the polite language for it,” said American Medical Association president Susan Bailey, MD, who still hears from doctors who do not have respirators. “There has been such an outpouring for support for ‘health-care heroes.' Everybody knows now how important it is for our front-line health-care workers to be able to work in a safe environment. ...And yet, that desire doesn’t seem to be turning into a reality.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)
Coronavirus in Context: Health professionals can help make accurate COVID info go viral
1. WebMD, Sept. 18, 2020
2. AMA president Susan R. Bailey, MD, in conversation with WebMD Chief Medical Officer John Whyte, MD.
High blood pressure on the rise: How to manage yours
1. Healthline, Sept. 10, 2020
2. Brent M. Egan, MD, who is the study’s lead author, a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and the American Medical Association’s vice president of cardiovascular disease prevention, told Healthline that it’s crucial for people to understand that maintaining healthy blood pressure is an ongoing process.
Docs give outpatient CPT code changes mostly good review
1. MedPage Today, Sept. 2, 2020
2. Physician groups professed satisfaction with some of the changes that the American Medical Association (AMA) announced Tuesday to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) evaluation and management (E/M) codes for outpatient visits starting in 2021, although surgery groups had concerns about what wasn't included. (Free registration is required to view content.)
AMA releases 2021 CPT code set
1. Healthcare Purchasing News, Sept. 2, 2020
2. American Medical Association (AMA) reported that is has published the first major overhaul in more than 25 years to the codes and guidelines for office and other outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) services in the release of the 2021 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set.
Public health experts fear politics will taint vaccine approval
1. The Boston Globe, Sept. 2, 2020
2. “They’ve got to do a better job providing clarity and transparency,” Susan R. Bailey, MD, AMA president, told the Globe on Wednesday. But she said the AMA is “working closely” with the FDA and she was “hopeful” the agency will be open about its processes.
FDA will consider OK'ing COVID-19 vaccine before end of phase 3 trials
1. Newsy, Sept. 1, 2020
2. AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, was interviewed about the latest COVID-19 vaccine developments and the importance of taking time to develop an effective vaccine.
2021 CPT code set simplifies E/M coding, adds COVID-19 tests
1. Revcycle Intelligence, Sept. 1, 2020
2. The changes to the 2021 CPT code set represent the first major overhaul of office visit and outpatient E/M coding in more than 25 years, the American Medical Association said. (Free registration is required to view content.)
AMA releases latest CPT updates to align with Medicare E/M changes, digital innovation
1. Fierce Healthcare, Sept. 1, 2020
2. "To get the full benefit of the burden relief from the E/M office visit changes, health care organizations need to understand and be ready to use the revised CPT codes and guidelines by Jan. 1, 2021,” said AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, in a statement.
AMA releases 2021 overhaul of E/M services codes
1. Medscape, Sept. 1, 2020
2. In a statement, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced the publication of the 2021 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code set. AMA said the changes are intended to make coding and documentation easier for evaluation and management services (E/M). The 2021 changes should free physicians and other clinicians from "irrelevant administrative burdens that led to time-wasting note bloat and box checking," AMA explained. (Free registration is required to view content.)
AMA updates codes for office visits
1. Modern Healthcare, Sept. 1, 2020
2. "To get the full benefit of the burden relief from the E/M office visit changes, healthcare organizations need to understand and be ready to use the revised CPT codes and guidelines by Jan. 1, 2021," AMA President Susan Bailey, MD, said in prepared remarks. "The AMA is helping physicians and healthcare organizations prepare now for the transition and offers authoritative resources to anticipate the operational, infrastructural and administrative workflow adjustments that will result from the pending transition." (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)