Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates on June 9, 2026.
Officers and five councils are elected by the American Medical Association House of Delegates (HOD) at the Annual Meeting. Elections for contested contests are held during a special election session under the supervision of the Committee on Rules and Credentials and the chief teller, who are appointed by the speakers. Voting is conducted by secret ballot.
Michael Hanak, MD
Candidate for Council on Medical Service
Term: 2026-2030
An experienced and qualified leader
Dr. Hanak is seeking election to the AMA Council on Medical Service, an opportunity that brings together years of service in the AMA and a clinical career of two decades. Dr. Hanak’s work spans several practice settings, and he carries extensive leadership experience within a large academic health system and accountable care organization. He has long advocated for payment reform that supports team-based care and strengthens access to care while protecting the patient-physician relationship from the harmful effects of disinformation and politicization.
Responding to the many challenges faced by the health profession, such as the rising costs of care and workforce shortages, demands a thoughtful, insightful and collaborative leader who can simplify complexities and deliver trusted guidance to the organization. With years of experience navigating these challenges in clinical practice and organized medicine, he brings frontline insight and policy expertise to the complex issues before the council. His ability to translate real-world, patient-facing challenges into tangible policy solutions is a critical skill necessary for meaningful contributions to the council.
Policy expertise
Improving access and lowering costs
As a family physician, Dr. Hanak witnesses the downstream impacts of a health care system that struggles to provide affordable coverage to those who need it most. Vertical integration and market consolidation are raising costs, further exacerbated by soaring pharmaceutical prices driven by a supply chain in need of thoughtful regulation and reform. Dr. Hanak seeks to build on the substantial body of work the council has accomplished, ensuring that alternative payment models offer financial stability, prioritize health outcomes with appropriate risk adjustment and utilize evidence to allow physicians to be successful.
Advocacy in action
A collaborative approach
Excellence in primary care requires daily collaboration across specialties and a seasoned understanding of health care systems. These are the same attributes necessary to guide balanced discussions and contribute meaningfully to this council. Dr. Hanak is a past president of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians and represents Illinois in the Academy’s Congress of Delegates. He recognizes the immense crossover of issues important to the greater house of medicine and sees the AMA as having a responsibility to pioneer solutions and advocate for policies that serve all patients across care settings. Long-term funding solutions for the underserved and rural settings are paramount to ensuring equitable access to care, and Dr. Hanak’s commitment on this front plays out through his leadership around several access-related priorities for his health system.
Protecting the future of our practices
Additional resources
- Visit the AMA elections page for information on other candidates running for office.
- Find up to date information for the June Annual Meeting of the HOD.
