AMA Press Releases and Statements

AMA: Marilyn Tavenner Should be Confirmed as CMS Administrator
April 23, 2013 - AMA Statement
The AMA strongly urges the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Wondering What To Do With Unused or Expired Drugs?
April 23, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The AMA encourages patients to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 27 to safely dispose of their unused or expired prescription drugs.

AMA Unveils First Phase of Improving Health Outcomes Initiative: Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
April 22, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The AMA announced the first phase of its new multi-year, multi-million dollar improving health outcomes (IHO) initiative: preventing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and improving health outcomes for those with these conditions.

AMA Pleased President’s Budget Includes Moving to Accountable Payment Models in Medicare
April 10, 2013 - AMA Statement
We are pleased that President Obama’s 2014 budget recognizes the need to eliminate the broken Medicare physician payment formula known as the SGR and move toward new ways of delivering and paying for care that reward quality and reduce costs.

AMA Medical Students Hold Week of Wellness April 1-7 to Promote Healthy Behaviors
April 1, 2013 - AMA Press Release
AMA medical students today announced the start to the fourth annual “Week of Wellness,” focusing on improving patient health and wellness across the nation.

AMA and MAG Support Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s Defense of Prompt-Pay Law
March 25, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in federal court backing Georgia's authority to regulate unfair business practices by companies hired to pay medical bills.

AMA Selects 31 Bold Medical Education Proposals to Continue to the Next Phase of $10M Initiative to Transform the Way Future Physicians Are Trained
March 19, 2013 - AMA Statement
The AMA has announced that 31 innovative proposals have been selected from the initial pool of 119 applicants to move forward in the AMA's $10 million Accelerating Change in Medical Education initiative.

On Match Day, AMA Calls for Additional Residency Positions to Address Physician Shortage
March 15, 2013 - AMA Statement
Today, on Match Day, thousands of medical students will learn where they will complete their graduate medical education (GME), known as residency training.

AMA Recognizes National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
March 12, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Offers web-based educational program on hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes to physicians.

AMA: Sequestration Cuts Cause Real Pain for Medicare Patients, Physicians
March 1, 2013 - AMA Statement
Our lawmakers have failed to act, and Medicare patients and physicians will now feel real pain in the form of new cuts that come at an already difficult time for the nation's economy.

AMA Honors Life of Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD
Feb. 26, 2013 - AMA Statement
The passing of C. Everett Koop, M.D., gives us an opportunity to reflect on the positive, lasting impact he had on the health of our nation.

American Medical Association and McKesson Team Up to Bring Transparency and Clarity to Molecular Diagnostic Testing
Feb. 26, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The AMA and McKesson have entered into a licensing relationship to offer the healthcare system a consistent and transparent way to identify and track molecular diagnostic (MDx) tests.

Tremendous Response to AMA Medical Education Initiative Demonstrates Strong Desire for Transformative Change
Feb. 22, 2013 - AMA Press Release
More than 80 percent of medical schools submit proposals to lead innovative, new ideas.

AMA and Others Support Physician Fight for Autonomy
Feb. 15, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Medical staff has the right to make patient care decisions free of hospital interference.

AMA Honors Seven with Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service in Health Care
Feb. 13, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The AMA announced the recipients of its top government service honor in health care, the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service.

AMA Statement on President’s State of the Union Address
Feb. 13, 2013 - AMA Statement
"The AMA agrees with President Obama that we must all work together to end senseless acts of gun violence in our nation and support our returning veterans with mental health care services."

AMA Physicians Frame Conversation on Health Care Issues on Eve of State of the Union Address
Feb. 12, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The AMA gathered hundreds of physicians and medical students from around the nation together at the National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C.

AMA Statement in Support of Marilyn Tavenner for CMS Administrator
Feb. 7, 2013 - AMA Statement
"The AMA strongly supports the nomination of Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services."

AMA Statement on Schwartz, Heck Bill to Repeal SGR
Feb. 6, 2013 - AMA Statement
"The AMA thanks Rep. Allyson Schwartz and Rep. Joe Heck for their continued leadership and commitment to ending the failed Medicare physician payment formula known as the SGR. Reps."

New AMA Report Offers Principles for Patient Safety After Hospital Stays
Feb. 6, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Experts provide guidance on reducing hospital readmissions when transitioning patients from inpatient to outpatient settings.

AMA: New CBO Score Shows Now is the Time to Eliminate SGR
Feb. 5, 2013 - AMA Statement
"We welcome the news from the CBO that the cost of permanently replacing the flawed Medicare physician payment formula, known as SGR, has decreased dramatically."

AMA Urges Congress: Retain Funding for Residency Programs, Increase Training Positions to Address Doctor Shortage
Feb. 4, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Medical student advocacy day, new website part of campaign to protect graduate medical education.

AMA Statement on Final Physician Payment Sunshine Act Rule
Feb. 1, 2013 - AMA Statement
The AMA will carefully review the new Physician Payment Sunshine Act rule,” said AMA President Jeremy Lazarus, MD.

AMA Applauds CMS Announcement of Bundled Care Initiative Participants
Jan. 31, 2013 - AMA Statement
The AMA applauds CMS’ announcement of the first participants in the new bundled payments for care improvement initiative.

AMA Joins Other Groups Seeking to Overturn Pay-for-Delay Drug Agreements
Jan. 30, 2013 - AMA Press Release
The AMA has joined with the AARP and other organizations in filing a friend-of-the court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to remove barriers to affordable generic medications.

AMA Applauds Bipartisan House Bill to Repeal IPAB
Jan. 23, 2013 - AMA Statement
The AMA is pleased that legislation to eliminate the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) has been introduced in the House with bipartisan support by Rep. Phil Roe, MD.

New CPT Codes Support Medicare Payment for Care Coordination
Jan. 22, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Medicare is now accepting newly created Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for care coordination to pay physicians for the management of patients who have recently been discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility.

AMA Announces $10 Million Initiative to Change the Way Future Physicians Are Trained
Jan. 17, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Invites medical schools to submit proposals for bold, innovative projects to transform medical education.

AMA Enhances Genetic Testing Registry
Jan. 17, 2013 - AMA Press Release
CPT codes for molecular pathology tests to be added as a reference.

AMA Comments on Meaningful Use Stage 3 EHR Program
Jan. 14, 2013 - AMA Press Release
Recommends changes to make meaningful use program more reasonable and achievable.

AMA Applauds Creation of New Medicare ACOs
Jan. 10, 2013 - AMA Statement
The AMA is pleased that CMS has announced the creations of 106 new Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs), many of which will be physician-led.

AMA: Last-Minute Action to Avert Cuts to Physicians Shows the Need for Meaningful Medicare Changes
Jan. 1, 2013 - AMA Statement
Congress averted a drastic cut of 26.5 percent from hitting physicians who care for Medicare patients on January 1. This patch temporarily alleviates the problem, but Congress' work is not complete.