American Medical Association (AMA)

The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. The AMA mission is to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. The association represents physicians with a unified voice in courts and legislative bodies across the nation, removing obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading efforts to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises, and driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in healthcare.

healthcare policy reform government

AMA House of Delegates helps cardiology groups influence healthcare policies

American College of Cardiology Board of Governors Chair David E. Winchester, MD, MS, examines the many benefits of working with the American Medical Association House of Delegates to bring about significant change.

SCAI AMA HOD delegates Jeff Marshall, MD, and And Edward Tuohy, MD, explain how the resolution will have AMA advocate for Medicare payment policy that removes high-ticket supplies from OBL physician payments and will enable these to be billed separately.

AMA to advocate for improved Medicare payments for office-based labs

SCAI and other healthcare groups want changes made to how healthcare providers are paid after performing office-based lab procedures. "As much as we love delivering care as doctors, if we are losing money doing something, we cannot sustain it," one cardiologist explained. 

American Medical Association (AMA) President Bruce Scott, MD, an otolaryngologist in Louisville, Kentucky, explains some of the key issues facing physicians, including burnout, growing medical staffing shortages, declining numbers of doctors in rural areas, increasing numbers of patients, large medical education debt payments, the lack of residency positions to train new doctors, and declining Medicare payments, which have declined 33% since 2000. Scott said these issues are also interrelated.

AMA President highlights growing crisis facing U.S. physicians

American Medical Association President Bruce Scott, MD, explains some of the key issues facing physicians, including burnout, growing medical staffing shortages, doctors leaving rural areas, increasing patients and declining Medicare payments.

 

Former American College of Cardiology (ACC) president Kim Allan Williams, Sr., MD, MACC, MASNC, FAHA, FESC, chair, department of medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, and an ACC delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates, discusses AMA Resolution 404 aimed at improving public awareness of low-dose CT lung cancer screening that can also identify coronary artery disease (CAD) ate the same time.

ACC backs AMA resolution to boost lung cancer and heart disease screenings in smokers with low-dose CT scans

Former American College of Cardiology president Kim Allan Williams, Sr., MD, an ACC delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates, discusses an AMA resolution aimed at improving public awareness of low-dose CT lung cancer exams that can screen for coronary artery calcium at the same time. 

AMA brainstorms on key topics impacting healthcare

"With significantly strengthened penalties, standardized reporting requirements and unprecedented enforcement commitments, the regulatory landscape has dramatically shifted," the AMA wrote. 

Interventional radiologist radiology IR genicular artery embolization surgery

Society of Interventional Radiology joins others in urging Medicare payment for high-cost disposables

The resolution urges the AMA to advocate for separate payment for certain services using supplies priced above $500, as well as those containing high-cost equipment. 

A graphic released by the AMA showing that cumulative Medicare payment cuts to physicians between 2001-2025 has resulted in a 33% cuts, which medical societies and numerous physicians in Congress says is not sustainable without Medicare patients losing access to care.

Congressional bill could reverse Medicare cuts and increase physician pay

A bill in Congress would reverse the 2025 Medicare cuts and increase physician pay, but a March deadline looms to make this happen.

HeartFlow Plaque Analysis Example

New Category I CPT code issued for AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis software

The news comes just days after CMS confirmed these technologies would start receiving expanded Medicare coverage in November. HeartFlow and other AI vendors have already shared their excitement over the decision. 

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The company has agreed to acquire Verve Therapeutics for an upfront payment of approximately $1 billion. The total could increase significantly, however, if certain milestones are met. One of Verve's biggest gene therapies has already received the FDA's fast track designation.

American College of Cardiology Board of Governors Chair David E. Winchester, MD, MS, examines the many benefits of working with the American Medical Association House of Delegates to bring about significant change.

“Without a more concrete and stable policy on these tariffs from the current American administration, it is likely that most manufacturers will be forced to continuously change their internal forecasts and production plans," one analyst said.