DoD review of credentialing policies to eliminate stigmatizing mental health language passes the Senate
On Oct. 9, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act which included language supported by the AMA that would require the Department of Defense (DoD) to review its policies for credentialing health care workers to remove barriers to accessing mental health care.
The combined efforts of the AMA and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation identified areas where the DoD can take action to align with national best practices supporting physicians’ and other health care professionals’ ability to seek care for a mental or behavioral health concern. The specific language is contained in Section 717 of S. 2296.
The National Defense Authorization Act will now go to conference with the House of Representatives, and the AMA expects that this language will be included in the final package later this year.
Support Federation letter on physician ownership of hospitals
The AMA is currently circulating a sign-on letter supporting H.R. 4002, the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, to state medical associations and national medical specialty societies represented in the AMA House of Delegates.
This bipartisan legislation would repeal the statutory restrictions on the whole hospital exception to the Stark physician self-referral law, thereby eliminating statutory and regulatory barriers that prevent the formation or expansion of physician-owned hospitals (POHs). A permanent moratorium on forming new POHs or expanding existing POHs was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act. The moratorium has the strong support of the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals, the latter of which represents for-profit hospitals.
Passing H.R. 4002 would increase competition and patient access to higher quality care. The sign-on letter has deadline of close of business on Oct. 20. More information about H.R. 4002 can be found in the AMA’s letter of support (PDF).
Secure your practice: A refresher for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
In recognition of October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the AMA encourages physicians to take advantage of available resources to refresh their cybersecurity training and ensure that their practice and patient data are secure.
The “Cybersecurity for the Clinician” video training series on the AMA Ed Hub™ provides clinicians and medical students with the knowledge they need to understand how cyberattacks can impact clinical operations and patient safety. The eight videos in the series use easy, non-technical language to explain how you can do your part to help keep health care data, systems, and patients safe from cyber threats. It is a valuable resource to help stay current on your security training and posture.
Produced by the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council Cybersecurity Working Group, Episode 1 of the series, Cyber Safety Is Patient Safety, discusses the threat cyberattacks pose to patients, including stealing patient data, disrupting clinical operations, and ultimately, harming patients. Other episodes feature discussions on the social engineering techniques that are used to acquire patients' personal information, medical device cybersecurity, and the teams that act after a cyberattack occurs. Each episode is hosted by Dr. Christian Dameff, an emergency medicine physician and medical director for cybersecurity.
Also, take advantage of other resources, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 405(d) Program, which is focused on providing our sector with impactful resources, products and tools to raise awareness and strengthen our cybersecurity posture against threats. In addition, at Physician Cybersecurity, the AMA has curated resources and tips for physicians and health care staff to protect patient health records and other data from cyberattacks.
