The 2009 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates was held November 7–10, 2009, in Houston. AMA Delegate Gary Bryant, MD, and AMA Alternate Delegate Eileen Moynihan, MD, represented the ACR.
November 2009 proved good timing for the meeting. With healthcare reform leading the debate in Congress, the AMA continued to discuss and develop healthcare reform policy.
In addition to the healthcare reform debate, the ACR, the Infectious Disease Society of America, and other specialty society organizations introduced a resolution—adopted by the AMA—opposing the elimination of consultation codes and supporting legislation to overturn the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services action to eliminate consultation service codes. Dr. Bryant served a crucial role extracting the resolution from the consent calendar and speaking in favor of the resolution in caucus meetings and in the reference committee.
Make Rheumatology’s Voice Stronger in the AMA
The AMA House of Delegates is the principal policy-making body of the AMA, and is composed of elected representatives and others. The ACR is represented by a delegate and an alternate delegate who provide a voice for the ACR and rheumatology. Rheumatology is also represented through a number of state societies including the Medical Association of Georgia, the Medical Society of Virginia, and the Wyoming Medical Society.
Although the ACR has appointed delegates who represent the ACR at meetings, every member can help strengthen the voice of rheumatology in the AMA by getting involved in a state medical society. State medical societies have a strong presence in the House of Delegates, and your active involvement within your state organization will increase the visibility of rheumatology in the physician community.
To learn more about the AMA House of Delegates or how to get involved with your state medical society, contact ACR’s government affairs staff at advocacy@rheumatology.org or (404) 633-3777.