The Private Practice Physicians Section (PPPS) held its 2026 Annual Meeting on Friday, June 6, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. The meeting was attended by more than 50 private practice physicians and invited guests. Attendees were pleased to see the ongoing support for the section and robust engagement.
Elections were held for the PPPS Governing Council positions for 2026-2028 and the results are as follow:
- Chair elect: Roxanne Tyroch, MD
- Delegate: Kieran McAvoy, MD
- Alternate delegate: Mohammad Ibrahim, DO
- Secretary: Hillary Johnson-Jahangir, MD
- Member at-large (practice size of 1-10 physicians): Christopher Garofalo, MD
- Member at-large (practice size of more than 10 physicians): Manna Varghese, MD
- Keshni Ramnanan, MD, moves into the chair position from chair elect
This marks a bittersweet moment as we honor Timothy McAvoy, MD, at his final meeting serving on the PPPS Governing Council as a delegate. Dr. McAvoy, one of the founding members of this section, brought his unwavering dedication, forward-thinking vision and tireless commitment, and has shaped the very foundation of this governing council and the work we do every day. From the very beginning, he brought a passion for private practice and an inspiring determination to advocate for our members.
Dr. McAvoy has been a trusted mentor, a thoughtful leader and a steady voice of reason through countless challenges and successes. His contributions have helped us grow, adapt and thrive as a section, ensuring our future is bright. The PPPS Governing Council and all our members want to express heartfelt gratitude for everything he’s done. Dr. McAvoy, your legacy will continue to guide and inspire future generations.
Attendees also heard updates from the AMA Foundation and AMPAC. These were followed up by the education sessions.
Education sessions
“Empowering Private Practice Physicians: Strategies for Effective Revenue Cycle Management” was the kickoff education session. Attendees received an overview of ERISA’s express preemption, focusing on how federal law can override state laws affecting employee benefit plans, especially comparing fully insured and self-insured plans. The session covered the insurance “savings” and “deemer” clauses, discussed key Supreme Court cases like Rutledge v. PCMA, outlined tests for determining preemption and provided guidance for evaluating new legislation and recent court decisions in this area.
“Preempted or Permissible? Understanding ERISA’s Reach After Rutledge” led by Lindsey Schott, focused on empowering private practice physicians with strategies for effective revenue cycle management (RCM) to support practice sustainability and patient care. Attendees learned how RCM affects financial viability, patient access and care quality, while examining five key barriers such as fragmented workflows and evolving payer rules. The session highlighted best practices like contextualizing RCM processes, collaborative learning, increasing healthcare financial literacy, using automation—including AI—and monitoring key performance indicators. Participants engaged in self-reflection, small group discussions and left with actionable insights to improve RCM in their own practices.
PPPS resolutions
The PPPS Assembly met in April to consider 11 items of business in advance of the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD).
Eight items were adopted and immediately forwarded to the HOD for consideration at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the HOD:
- PPPS Governing Council Report B: Equal Opportunity for Payment for “On Call” Duty
- PPPS Governing Council Report D: Universal Out of Network Benefits
- PPPS Governing Council Report E: State Regulations of Non-Preempted “Non-Central Matters” of ERISA Plans—Rutledge v. PCMS
- Resolution 1: Artificial Intelligence Scope of Practice
- Resolution 2: Oppose the Legal Position that Virtual Credit Cards are a Legal Method of Payment under HIPAA
- Resolution 3: Advocacy for a Failure-Proof National Centralized Electronic Transaction Clearinghouse
- Resolution 4: Eliminate Administrative Barriers to Appeal Wrongful Denials
- Resolution 7: Vaccinations in Physician Offices
One item was referred to the PPPS Governing Council for report back:
- Resolution 2: Oppose the Legal Position that Virtual Credit Cards are a Legal Method of Payment under HIPAA (first three RESOLVE clauses)
Two items were not adopted by the PPPS and were not forwarded for consideration by the House of Delegates:
- Resolution 5: Noncompliance with the AMA CPT Code by Health Plans and Vendors
- Resolution 6: Root-Cause Analysis of the Problems with AMA Advocacy Related to AMA HIPAA Administrative Simplification Policies
Finally, one item was adopted and will be enacted by the PPPS Governing Council:
- PPPS Governing Council Report C: Conflicts of Interest and Transparency at the PPPS—Let the Members Decide
For additional information on the 2026 PPPS Annual meeting, visit the section's agenda and resources page.
