What legislative impact has the American Medical Association had in last 5 years?
2018
* Opioid Crisis: The AMA played a key role in advocating for legislation to address the opioid crisis, including the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, which was signed into law in October 2018. The law includes provisions to improve pain management, expand access to addiction treatment, and strengthen enforcement of prescription drug laws.
* Telehealth: The AMA supported legislation to expand access to telehealth services, which was included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The law allows Medicare to reimburse for telehealth services provided in rural areas and by certain providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
* Prior Authorization: The AMA advocated for legislation to reduce the burden of prior authorization for medications, which was included in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). The law requires health plans to provide more transparency and consistency in their prior authorization processes.
2019
* Surprise Medical Bills: The AMA supported legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills, which was signed into law in December 2020. The law prohibits balance billing for emergency services provided out-of-network and requires health plans to provide patients with information about their cost-sharing responsibilities before they receive care.
* Lower Drug Costs: The AMA supported legislation to lower drug costs, which was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The law includes provisions to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and provide grants to states to establish drug importation programs.
* Mental Health Parity: The AMA supported legislation to enforce mental health parity, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The law requires health plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment on par with medical and surgical care.
2020
* COVID-19 Relief: The AMA played a key role in advocating for legislation to provide financial relief to physicians and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program, and the Provider Relief Fund. These programs have helped to keep physicians and hospitals afloat during the pandemic and have allowed them to continue providing care to patients.
* Telehealth Expansion: The AMA supported legislation to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was included in the CARES Act. The law allows Medicare to reimburse for telehealth services provided anywhere in the country and by any type of provider.
* Prior Authorization Reform: The AMA advocated for legislation to reform prior authorization processes, which was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The law requires health plans to make their prior authorization processes more transparent and consistent and to provide physicians with timely decisions.
2021
* No Surprises Act Implementation: The AMA is working to ensure that the No Surprises Act is implemented effectively and that patients are protected from surprise medical bills. The AMA is also advocating for legislation to expand access to telehealth services and to reform the prior authorization process.
* Lower Drug Costs: The AMA is continuing to advocate for legislation to lower drug costs, including allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and capping out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. The AMA is also working to support states that are establishing drug importation programs.
* Mental Health Parity: The AMA is working to enforce mental health parity and ensure that mental health and substance use disorder treatment is covered on par with medical and surgical care. The AMA is also advocating for legislation to expand access to mental health services.
2022
* Telehealth Access: The AMA is continuing to advocate for policies to expand telehealth access and ensure its long-term sustainability.
* Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder: The AMA is advocating for policies to address the mental health and substance use disorder crisis.
* Health Equity: The AMA is committed to advancing health equity and fostering policies to address social and economic disparities in health.
* Climate Change and Health: The AMA is advocating for policies to address the health effects of climate change.
* Physician Wellness: The AMA is advocating for policies to promote physician well-being and prevent burnout.