AMA State Advocacy Roundtable Addresses Pressing Policy Challenges

The ACR joined colleagues from across the country at the American Medical Association’s State Advocacy Roundtable, held Aug. 12–14. The meeting brought together state medical societies and specialty organizations to discuss pressing health policy challenges and share strategies for advancing physician and patient priorities.

The roundtable opened with a discussion on key developments and emerging issues in state advocacy, providing an opportunity for participants to reflect on recent legislative challenges and forecast the policy landscape for 2025. Attendees then turned to prior authorization reform, where state leaders shared updates on legislative victories and regulatory enforcement, as well as strategies for ensuring that reforms translate into meaningful protections for patients and physicians.

Another major focus was the impact of the recently passed One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to significantly reshape Medicaid funding, eligibility and coverage at the state level. Participants explored strategies to protect patients from disruptions in access to care and to help physicians navigate new administrative hurdles.

Additional sessions addressed physician wellness, where recent progress was highlighted through partnerships that have changed hospital credentialing practices and reduced barriers for physicians seeking mental health care. The meeting also featured discussions on scope of practice battles, AI in health care, clarifying medical exceptions under restrictive reproductive health laws and medical liability reform.

The roundtable concluded with an update on the Your Care is at Our Core campaign, a collaborative effort among state medical associations to strengthen the public perception of physicians and highlight their role in delivering high-quality patient care.

The ACR’s participation ensures that rheumatology’s voice is represented in these critical conversations and that our members’ priorities are front and center as state advocacy efforts continue to shape the future of healthcare delivery.