AMA backs policy proposals to cover more of the uninsured

CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates adopted principles today supporting public policy approaches that have the potential to expand insurance coverage to millions of the uninsured, including those who have lost their coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most notably, the AMA supported auto-enrollment as a strategy to cover many of the remaining uninsured who have coverage options available to them at no cost after any applicable subsidies. As such, eligible individuals could potentially be auto-enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP or zero-premium ACA marketplace coverage. The AMA sees tremendous potential in proposed improvements to the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—as outlined in the AMA proposal for reform—and believes that auto-enrollment in combination with these improvements can maximize coverage gains.