The American Medical Association House of Delegates' annual meeting had a particular focus on public policy and public health as it recalibrated its position on supporting the Patient Protection and Affordable Act and looked at strategies to defend against common threats to their patients' health.
A resolution to develop a policy statement clearly outlining the AMA policies on the ACA and healthcare reform was approved. It includes statements on repealing and replacing the Medicare sustainable-growth rate physician payment formula; repealing and replacing the Independent Payment Advisory Board; supporting medical savings accounts and Medicare “private contracting” (in which a patient could contract with a doctor to pay above Medicare's set fee with the patient being responsible to cover costs above Medicare reimbursement); and a provision to “immediately direct sufficient funds toward a multi-pronged campaign to accomplish these goals.”
