NEWS
AMA Delegate Report
Welcome Back
Joseph B . Selby , MD Delegate and Chair
Greetings from Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort , Lake Buena Vista , Florida , the site of the 2024 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association ( AMA ). Representing West Virginia were myself and Dr . Hoyt Burdick . Educational sessions began on November 7 , and the House of Delegates ( HOD ) met November 8 through December 12 .
There were 136 resolutions or reports before the HOD for consideration . Of these , 107 were accepted without debate by consent calendar vote . There was a total of 29 extractions from Reference Committee ( RefCom ) reports as follows :
• RefCom on Amendments to Constitutions and Bylaws : 22 items , 1 extraction .
• RefCom C , Medical Education : 6 items , 2 extractions .
• RefCom F , Governance and Finance : 11 items , 5 extractions .
• RefCom J , Medical Service , Practice , and Insurance : 31 items , 8 extractions .
• RefCom B , Legislation : 34 items , 11 extractions .
• RefCom K , Science and Public Health : 32 items , 2 extractions .
The most pressing issue for physicians is the proposed 2.8 % Medicare physicians ’ payment cut for 2025 . Physicians have endured a 29 % decline in Medicare payments since 2001 when adjusted for inflation . The AMA supports a bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives that would replace the 2.8 % cut with a 4.7 % payment increase . AMA President Bruce Scott emphasized that these cuts are placing physicians in an impossible position by having to choose either turning away patients , reducing hours , or closing practices .
Noteworthy resolutions and policy updates include :
• Prior authorization : HOD adopted policy to prevent insurers from retroactively denying or recouping payments for care that had been pre-certified .
• Physician-led care : New policy was passed to ensure physician supervision remains essential in the emergency department with a focus on rural and remote areas .
• Telehealth : Current policy was modified to help remove barriers to telehealth adoption and make health information technology more accessible .
• Augmented intelligence ( AI ): A set of principles was approved to guide the ethical development and use of AI in healthcare , ensuring that AI tools enhance , not replace , human touch when caring for patients .
• In lieu of passing a resolution brought forward by the postacute and long-term care medical association , the HOD reaffirmed existing policy ( D-95.955 ) to improve access to post-acute care for patients with substance use disorders . The stigma around addiction can lead to inadequate care for patients in need of physical rehabilitation or other post-acute medical services .
The following is my selected summary from the RefCom that I thought was interesting .
RefCom on Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws .
• Board of Trustees Report 23 , advocating for informed consent for access to transgender care .
• The CEJA Report 1 , expanding access to palliative care .
• Resolution 010 , development of resources for medical staff to engage in collective negotiations with hospitals and health systems .
RefCom C , Medical Education .
• Resolution 302 , strengthening parental leave policies for medical trainees and recent graduates .
• Resolution 304 , payment and benefit parody for fellows .
• Resolution 306 , streamlining continuing medical education across states and medical specialties .
• Resolution 305 , removing board certification as a requirement for billing for home sleep studies ( this was referred for decision ).
RefCom F , Governance and Finance .
• Board of Trustees Report 16
• Resolution 605
8 • www . wvsma . org