The American Urological Association’s Delegates – Drs. Terry Grimm and Hans Arora, Alternate Delegates Drs. James Gilbaugh and Jason Jameson, Young Physician Section Delegate Dr. Clint Cary, and Resident/Fellow Section Delegate Dr. Ruchika Talwar – have joined hundreds of physicians at the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HoD) 2021 Interim Meeting (virtual) to consider resolutions and reports covering clinical practice, payment, medical education, and public health topics. Top issues of the meeting include urging Congress to stave off impending Medicare payment cuts and debating whether or not to support Medicare drug price negotiation authority.
On Sunday, the AUA delegates continued their work deliberating reports and resolutions within reference committee meetings covering Science & Technology and Medical Practice. While the AUA did not specifically testify, there were a number of relevant measures considered, including:
Resolution 506 Enhancing Harm Reduction for People Who Use Drugs, introduced by the Medical Students Section, would amend existing AMA policy on opioid overdose policy to encourage state and county medical societies to advocate for harm reduction policies that provide civil and criminal immunity for the use of “drug paraphernalia” designed to support safe use of drugs, including drug contamination testing and injection drug preparation, use, and disposal supplies.
AMA Council on Medical Service Report 2 Access to Health Plan Information regarding Lower-Cost Prescription Options focuses on efforts to publish a Real-Time Prescription Benefit standard that meets the needs of all physicians and other prescribers, utilizing any electronic health record, and prescribing on behalf of any insured patient.
The reference committees will now provide the full House of Delegates with recommendations on the measures discussed over the last two days. The House resumes business tomorrow to begin reviewing and voting on relevant resolutions until the virtual meeting concludes on November 16.
As a reminder, the AMA HoD is the principal policy-making body of the AMA. It represents the views and interests of a diverse group of member physicians from more than 170 societies. These delegates meet twice a year to establish policy on health, medical, professional and governance matters.
Read news from the day one here. Additional updates and final resolution outcomes will be posted to the Policy & Advocacy Brief blog.