ACR-Led Resolutions Supporting Research Funding, Biosimilars Access Advance at Annual AMA House of Delegates Meeting

With a new presidential administration implementing paradigmatic shifts in federal healthcare policy, the annual American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD) meeting in Chicago from June 6–11 had a full slate of topics to discuss. Scores of delegates from medical specialty societies and state medical associations gather at two AMA HOD meetings each year to set policy and direction for the nation’s largest and most impactful physician organization. The annual meeting in June is the larger of the two.

At this meeting, the ACR authored and led a resolution in response to the Trump administration capping indirect costs for National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants at 15% earlier this year. The resolution, NIH Grant Funding for Medical Research, called for the protection of biomedical researchers’ ability to negotiate indirect costs for NIH grants. It attracted numerous cosponsoring societies and widespread vocal support at the meeting and was recommended for adoption.

The ACR’s delegation worked hard to influence deliberations on behalf of rheumatology in many other areas as well. Topics addressed at the HOD meeting included the politicization of biomedical research, vaccine misinformation, workforce reductions at federal healthcare agencies, access to prescription drugs and many more.

The ACR’s delegation to the AMA (left to right): Gary Bryant, MD; Adam Cooper, MS; Christina Downey, MD; Cristina Arriens, MD; Luke Barre, MD; Eileen Moynihan, MD; and Colin Edgerton, MD.

The ACR is fortunate to have an experienced and influential delegation to the AMA House of Delegates, consisting of Gary Bryant, MD (delegate and delegation chair), Eileen Moynihan, MD (delegate), Cristina Arriens, MD (alternate delegate), Colin Edgerton, MD (alternate delegate), Luke Barre, MD (Young Physician Section representative) and Christina Downey, MD (Young Physician Section representative). Resolutions are introduced and considered by the ACR based on its positions and policies and the work of ACR committees and the Board of Directors.

Many ACR-developed policies and directives have been previously passed by the AMA and shaped the direction of AMA policy and advocacy, addressing:

• Copay accumulator policy;
• Third-party pharmacy benefit administrators;
• Stakeholder engagement with Medicare Administrative Contractors;
• Payer financial incentives to switch treatments;
• Selective application of prior authorization;
• Step therapy in Medicare Advantage;
• Biosimilar interchangeability pathways;
• Ensuring an effective H-1B visa program to enhance the rheumatology workforce;
• Drug pricing;
• Drug cost attribution in quality payment programs; Pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform;
• Opposing the previous Medicare Part B drug payment demonstration; and more.

ACR/ARP members are encouraged to suggest topics of focus for future ACR resolutions by writing to [email protected].