AMA in the News: December 2023

AMA in the News covers media coverage and mentions about the American Medical Association. Find articles recognizing our efforts in health care, advocacy, medical education and improvements in public health. Read coverage on the achievements of our leadership and the members of the AMA community.

1. More patients are losing their doctors—and their trust in the primary care system

   1. NPR, Dec. 22, 2023
   2. The American Medical Association's president, Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, recently called the physician shortage a "public health crisis."
   3. "It's an urgent crisis, hitting every corner of this country—urban and rural,'' Ehrenfeld told reporters at a press conference in October, "with the most direct impact hitting families with high needs and limited means.'' 

2. Doctors have a few simple AI asks

   1. Politico, Dec. 19, 2023
   2. The AMA recently asked doctors how they felt about using AI in their practices, Ehrenfeld said. The survey revealed their excitement that AI could improve care and ease burdens—but also some trepidation.

3. What the AMA learned about burnout in 2023

   1. Becker’s ASC Review, Dec. 18, 2023
   2. The American Medical Association conducted a survey that received more than 13,000 responses from physician and nonphysician providers in 30 states looking at burnout and its impact on the industry, according to a Dec. 18 article on the AMA website. The results, which the AMA has reported on throughout 2023, reflect 2022 trends. 

4. Doctors are excited, concerned about AI's role in medicine: Poll

   1. U.S News and World Report, Dec. 15, 2023
   2. “Physicians are optimistic about the advantages that properly designed AI-enabled tools can have for patient care, and nearly two-thirds of physicians see an advantage to AI if key requirements are met,” AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, said in an AMA news release. “The AMA survey illustrates that physicians’ greatest hope for AI rests in reducing the crushing administrative burdens that plague modern medicine, which drain health care resources and pull physicians away from patient care.”

5. AMA chides lawmakers for not changing Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

   1. Medical Economics, Dec. 15, 2023
   2. “After three consecutive years of cuts to Medicare services, physicians and the patients they treat are at a crossroads,” AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, said in a Dec. 15 statement. “For many physicians, continuing down this road is unsustainable,” Ehrenfeld said in the statement. “These cuts will be felt first and hardest in rural and underserved areas that continue to face significant health care access challenges. Medicare physicians do not receive inflationary payment updates, which is why eliminating these cuts is so crucial.”

6. AMA survey reveals physicians’ sentiments on health care AI

   1. Health IT Analytics, Dec. 14, 2023
   2. “Physicians are optimistic about the advantages that properly designed AI-enabled tools can have for patient care, and nearly two-thirds of physicians see an advantage to AI if key requirements are met,” said AMA president Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, in a press release emailed to HealthITAnalytics. “The AMA survey illustrates that physicians’ greatest hope for AI rests in reducing the crushing administrative burdens that plague modern medicine, which drain health care resources and pull physicians away from patient care.” 

7. Physicians are dropping Medicare patients. Here's why

   1. Becker’s ASC Review, Dec. 14, 2023
   2. "With higher costs for everything associated with practicing medicine, another year of Medicare payment cuts jeopardizes patient access and imperils the physician practices on which so many seniors rely," AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, said of the cuts in a Sept. 11 organization news release. "These cuts are unsustainable and unconscionable."

8. AMA finds commercial, MA markets highly concentrated among insurers

   1. Healthcare Finance, Dec. 13, 2023
   2. "High market concentration tends to lower competition among health insurers, which can harm patients by raising insurance premiums above competitive levels," said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH. "The share of markets that are highly concentrated may be far higher than reflected under current federal guidelines." 

9. AMA: 73% of insurer markets were highly concentrated last year

   1. Fierce Healthcare, Dec. 13, 2023
   2. The AMA released an updated look at concentration in payer markets and found that across product lines, 73% of metropolitan statistical areas were highly concentrated in 2022. In most (90%) regions, a single payer owns a 30% market share, and in 48% of markets, one payer controls at least 50% of the share.

10. Representatives propose ban on insurers charging doctors a fee to be paid electronically

    1. ProPublica, Dec. 12, 2023
    2. The proposed legislation has the backing of the American Medical Association, whose policymaking body voted last month to adopt a new resolution (PDF) opposing “growing and excessive” fees on electronic funds transfer payments.

11. Medicare Advantage market got more competitive in 2022: AMA

    1. Modern Healthcare, Dec. 12, 2023
    2. The AMA report, which examined 381 metropolitan statistical areas, the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is updated annually to help researchers, policymakers and regulators identify markets where deals involving insurers could limit competition to providers and patients. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

12. Bipartisan reps introduce bill canceling 2024's 3.4% Medicare pay cut to physicians

    1. Fierce Healthcare, Dec. 8, 2023
    2. AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, welcomed the bill with open arms.
    3. "As of today, patients and physicians have a clear-eyed view on how to protect Medicare from injurious cuts,” Ehrenfeld said. “These cuts threaten health care access for seniors as well as the viability of physician practices, including many in rural and underserved areas. Canceling the cut is a good New Year's resolution."

13. House bill would avert physician pay cut in Medicare 

    1. Healthcare Finance, Dec. 8, 2023
    2. "As of today, patients and physicians have a clear-eyed view on how to protect Medicare from injurious cuts. A bipartisan group of House members—led by Reps. Greg Murphy, MD, (R-N.C), Danny Davis, (D-Ill.), Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-Ohio), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Larry Bucshon, MD (R-Ind.) and Michael Burgess, MD (R-Texas)—introduced HR 6683 that would eliminate the pending 3.37% cuts to Medicare payments. These cuts threaten healthcare access for seniors as well as the viability of physician practices, including many in rural and underserved areas. Canceling the cut is a good new year's resolution," said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH. 

14. AMA: AI needs governance policies prior to adoption and physician input on the front-end

    1. Healthcare Finance, Dec. 4, 2023
    2. "We have seen so much technology that's a burden, rather than an asset," Ehrenfeld said. 
    3. Above all else healthcare AI must be designed and deployed in a manner that is ethical, equitable, responsible and transparent, he said. 
    4. Many physicians are already using AI in their practices, he said, with most of it being for clinical documentation. Sixty-five percent are enthusiastic about its use.