The American Medical Association (AMA) conducted its June 2021 AMA Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates from June 11-16 virtually. Delegates from more than 170 societies (state societies, specialties, subspecialties, and uniformed services), comprised of nearly 700 physicians, residents, and medical students, gathered for the June 2021 AMA Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) to consider a wide array of proposals.
Dr. N.R. Desai
CHEST is an active member, and through the HOD and Specialty and Service Society Caucus, CHEST has partnered with AMA and its sister societies to work with each other on important regulatory issues. Chest/Allergy Section Council (participants at this meeting were from the AAAAI, AAOA, AASM, ACAAI, ATS, CHEST, and SCCM) met before the proceedings of the House to discuss pending business. The meeting was hosted by the current CHEST/Allergy council chair Dr. Wesley Vander Ark (AMA Delegate AAOA) and Jami Lucas, CEO AAOA.
Brief updates on the Resolutions
Continuity of care of patients discharged from hospital settings (Adapted as a new policy)
The policy focuses on key issues around the continuity of care of patients. It includes protections of continuity of care for medical services and medications that are prescribed during patient hospitalizations, including when there are formulary or treatment coverage changes that have the potential to disrupt therapy following discharge.
Licensure and telehealth
The policy urges AMA to continue to support state efforts to expand physician licensure recognition across state lines in accordance with the standards and safeguards Coverage and Payment for Telemedicine. (New HOD Policy)
AMA to conduct or commission a study on the effect that telemedicine services have had on health insurance premiums, focusing on the differences between states that had telehealth payment parity provisions in effect prior to the pandemic vs those that did not, and report back at the 2021 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. (Directive to Take Action). CHEST has taken an active role in supporting this resolution through advocating for telemedicine services and reimbursement, as well as leading the CHEST Clinician Matching Network that pairs volunteer doctors with hospitals based on their need throughout the country.
Vaccines (Adopted as a new policy)
The policy urges AMA to advocate for the prohibition of the use of patient/customer information collected by retail pharmacies for COVID-19 vaccination scheduling and/or the vaccine administration process for the purpose of commercial marketing or future patient recruiting purposes, especially any targeting based on medical history condition. AMA opposes the sale of medical history data and contact information accumulated through the scheduling or provision of government-funded vaccinations to third parties for use in marketing or advertising.
Additionally, as it relates to vaccines, CHEST has joined a joint society statement supporting a vaccine mandate for all health care workers.
Optimizing match outcomes (Directive to Take Action)
The policy urges AMA to encourage the Association of American Medical Colleges, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, National Resident Matching Program, and other key stakeholders to jointly create a no-fee, easily accessible clearinghouse of reliable and valid advice and tools for residency program applicants seeking cost-effective methods for applying to and successfully matching into residency.