ACR Representative Actions
The ACR sponsored or co-sponsored several resolutions, such as:
- A resolution to ensure an effective H-1B visa program to protect patient access to care. I am happy to report that it had unanimous support and was rolled into a larger substitute resolution regarding the importance of international graduates and the visa program. By the week after the meeting, the federal government had announced it would restart premium processing for physicians seeking this visa. This was a real win and showed the power of the ACR and AMA working together to leverage our results.
- A resolution to improve HRSA projections of the physician workforce. This came straight out of the 2015 ACR Workforce Study. It passed the HOD with only a minor amendment.
- Co-sponsoring an American Academy of Neurology (AAN) resolution regarding protections for patients with genetic conditions. In the end, the AAN chose to have current policy reaffirmed.
Additional Activities
I again attended a meeting sponsored by the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) that specifically continues to address issues with the progress—or lack thereof—of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to revise its recertification requirements. This meeting focused on actions at the state legislative level, with societies and other interested parties attempting to get legislation passed that would not allow participation in MOC to be linked to licensing or credentialing, or hospital privileges and insurance panels. Speakers from Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida and Georgia all presented their perspectives.
We monitored and, in some instances, testified on various other resolutions of interest to our society and membership in the areas of drug shortages and exorbitant pricing, the opioid crisis, consultation code reinstatement, payments for out-of-network care and protecting individualized compounding in physician offices.
Our delegation continues to be active in the Specialty and Service Society (SSS), the Pain and Palliative Medicine Specialty Section Council and the ACP caucus. I am now past chair of the SSS and, therefore, remain on the Governing Council.
Overall, we had a very successful AMA HOD meeting. The delegation thanks all ACR members for your continued support of our involvement with the AMA, which furthers the interests of rheumatology and our patients.
Gary L. Bryant, MD, FACR, FACP, is chair of the ACR’s delegation to the AMA House of Delegates.
