PROFESSIONAMA meeting: Efforts renewed for physician antitrust reliefAMA delegates said physicians need legislative reforms to create a foundation for fair contract negotiations.By Damon Adams, amednews staff. Dec. 3, 2007. Interim Meeting 2007
Meeting NotesResourcesHonolulu -- Physicians say it's time to make antitrust relief a key issue again. AMA House of Delegates' members in November voted to have the Association redouble efforts to make antitrust relief a top legislative priority and affirm its commitment to seek state and federal reforms. "What has happened to physicians in the last 30 years is we have no control of our business," said delegate James T. Hay, MD, a family physician in Del Mar, Calif. "Physicians are really, really frustrated. They want something to happen now." Delegates said it is essential for physicians to be able to negotiate collectively. They said not bargaining together puts them at a disadvantage when asking health plans for better pricing and payments. "A single [physician] group can't negotiate with a billion-dollar company," said alternate delegate Mark S. Seigel, MD, an ob-gyn in Bethesda, Md. At the AMA Interim Meeting, delegates passed a resolution calling for the Association to pursue a federal antitrust law to enable doctors to negotiate effectively with health insurers. AMA Trustee Rebecca J. Patchin, MD, said the Association is seeking a hearing on the issue in Congress. An AMA report said the organization has tried without success to get federal antitrust legislation passed in the last decade. The AMA also has worked to develop proposed changes to federal guidelines on antitrust enforcement, including adding new rules that address health plan mergers and abuse of market power by dominant health plans, the report said. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Meeting notes: Other actionsIssue: Patients may get mixed signals about messages to quit smoking when hospitals and other places where they receive care also sell cigarettes. Proposed action: Oppose tobacco sales at any facility where health services are provided. [ Adopted ] Issue: A declining number of family physicians and internists and fewer medical students are choosing primary care as a career. Proposed action: Study barriers to primary care medicine as a career choice and the impact of these barriers on the profession of medicine as a whole and on access to health care. [ Adopted, report expected at 2008 Interim Meeting ] Released: AMA 2007 and 2008 finances Reported: Operating profits are projected to be $13.9 million in 2007, $3.2 million better than projections for the year. In 2008, a $9.8 million operating surplus is expected. But the AMA is forecasting a $6.3 million operating loss for next year because it plans to spend $16.1 million of its reserves on media buys for its campaign on access to care for the uninsured. Copyright 2007 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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The doctors are in the house
The AMA's House of Delegates is holding its Interim Meeting Nov. 7-10 in Houston, addressing issues such as health system reform and physician payment. Meeting coverage - Slideshow Feature articlesHealth reform review The Massachusetts experience Litigation stress Being sued is personal as well as professional Comprehensive coverage
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