AMA in the News: May 2026

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. Now is not the time for silence. Dr. John Whyte on the AMA, AI, and the stakes for physicians right now

   1. How I Doctor with Dr. Graham Walker, Apple Podcasts, May 28, 2026
   2. In this episode of How I Doctor, Dr. Graham Walker sits down with John Whyte, MD, MPH, to cover the AMA’s focus, how AI is already reshaping the way physicians practice, and what it means that efficiency gains from AI tools are largely flowing to health systems rather than back to physicians or patients.

2. Trust is becoming the most important medicine we have

   1. Medscape, May 26, 2026
   2. Op-ed by John Whyte, MD, MPH. Recent polling found that more people trust the AMA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other organizations on public health issues more than agencies like the CDC.

3. The future of the American healthcare workforce

   1. NPR, May 26, 2026
   2. AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, makes a guest appearance on this podcast.

4. First at Four Focus: What to know about Ebola

   1. ABC 12, May 22, 2026
   2. AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, talks about the disease.

5. Bipartisan Medicare physician pay stability bill advances out of W&M committee

   1. Inside Health Policy, May 21, 2026
   2. “Physicians are grateful that the House Ways and Means Committee took a major step in curing a flawed budget policy that results in physicians facing Medicare cuts every year,” AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, said in Thursday’s statement. “Without reform, the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule produces a year-end budget mashup that injects uncertainty in physician practices due to the requirement that the fee schedule remain budget neutral. These cuts threaten the viability of practices, especially in rural and underserved communities.”
   3. "The vote today is an encouraging sign that meaningful budget neutrality reform is possible," Mukkamala added. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

6. RFK Jr. terminates heads of preventive services task force amid overhaul

   1. CNN, May 20, 2026
   2. The American Medical Association said it is “extremely concerned” by the removal of Wong and Davis.
   3. “We strongly urge HHS to restore the USPSTF’s long-standing, transparent process for selecting members, specifically clinicians with expertise in the fields of preventive medicine and primary care,” Bobby Mukkamala, MD, the association’s president, said in a statement.

7. AMA taps UnitedHealth exec to head its operations

   1. Crain’s Chicago, May 19, 2026
   2. “The chief operating officer is integral to the AMA’s day-to-day function, delivering results, and advancing the value we provide to our members and the greater healthcare community,” AMA CEO John Whyte, MD, MPH, said in the release. “Dr. Wig’s outstanding record of leading enterprise transformation and operational excellence at some of the most influential healthcare organizations in the country make him the ideal person to oversee our next chapter of growth and impact.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

8. Medical care delays for approval persist, despite insurers’ promises

   1. New York Times, May 18, 2026
   2. This month, the American Medical Association released a survey (PDF) in which more than a quarter of doctors said delays and denials had resulted in adverse patient conditions like hospitalization or a life-threatening incident.
   3. “Physician trust in voluntary insurer pledges is deeply eroded after years of unfulfilled promises,” Bobby Mukkamala, MD, the president of the association, said in a statement. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

9. Payers advance prior authorization reforms, but provider skepticism remains high

   1. HealthLeaders,May 15, 2026
   2. The American Medical Association’s (AMA) 2025 prior authorization survey underscores (PDF) the immense administrative burden associated with PA requests.

10. Should parents be worried about hantavirus? What experts say after cruise ship outbreak

    1. Parents Magazine, May 14, 2026
    2. “Hantavirus is serious, but it is very rare. Most people will never encounter it,” says Bobby Mukkamala, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist and president of the American Medical Association (AMA). “It does not spread easily between people, unlike other viruses such as influenza.”
    3. To reduce your risk, Dr. Mukkamala recommends avoiding contact with rodent droppings and safely cleaning enclosed spaces.

11. AMA: Physicians not confident in insurer pledge to improve prior auth

    1. Inside Health Policy, May 14, 2026
    2. A new survey by the American Medical Association finds physicians continue to be frustrated by prior authorization—particularly in Medicare Advantage—and worried that automation in the process could increase denials. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

12. On ‘The Pitt,’ she clocked out on time. In real life, it started a debate.

    1. New York Times, May 11, 2026
    2. Heather Farley, MD, an emergency medicine physician and vice president of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association, said that even though she hadn’t yet watched the second season—lingering “post-traumatic stress” from her time working in an emergency room means she can only watch it in doses, she said—she still “heard lots about that scene.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

13. Proposals to license AI in health care catch fire

    1. Inside Health Policy, May 11, 2026
    2. State lawmakers, academics, think tanks and the American Medical Association are mulling whether U.S. regulators should require artificial intelligence to obtain licenses to practice medicine. (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

14. Physicians are leaving clinical practice nine years earlier than they did in 2008, AMA study finds

    1. Medical Economics, May 8, 2026
    2. Funded entirely by the American Medical Association, the analysis identified "hassle factor" (44.7%) and "too stressful" (44.5%) as the leading reasons cited by physicians who had stopped practicing, followed by increasingly unrealistic patient demands (41.1%) and lack of professional satisfaction (38.4%).
    3. “Because of lagging payments, rising inflation and bureaucratic demands, physicians are struggling to keep their practices open and continue caring for their patients,” he said. “These pressures fall hardest on private practice physicians caring for Medicare patients especially in rural and underserved communities.”

15. Tick bites up: Doctors warn Maryland and Northeast states at risk

    1. WUSA-TV, May 7, 2026
    2. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, with the American Medical Association shared the symptoms of tick bites that you need to know to keep your loved ones safe.

16. Who are you getting your health advice from?

    1. New York Times, May 7, 2026
    2. Last month, the American Medical Association launched a new podcast, “Health vs. Hype,” that aims to fact-check “wellness trends and health claims from influencers filling our social media feeds every day.” (Publication subscription is required for full or unlimited access.)

17. Physician groups react to visa freeze reversal with praise, questions

    1. Becker’s Hospital Review, May 6, 2026
    2. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, president of the American Medical Association, told Becker’s that “it is encouraging to see the administration thaw the physician visa freeze. International medical graduates are the backbone of many rural hospitals and independent practices.

18. Apple Podcasts – Top new shows

    1. Associated Press, May 5, 2026
    2. Health vs Hype with the American Medical Association, iHeartPodcasts, is number 9 on this list.

19. Doctors press more states to cap malpractice payouts

    1. Axios, May 4, 2026
    2. AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, says the latest data should be a wake-up call to states that haven't enacted caps in response to high jury verdicts.
    3. When malpractice case judgments are "so variable and unpredictable, then insurance companies basically see no choice than to say we have no idea what's going to happen... that's why these premiums go up," he told Axios.

20. AMA calls for stronger safeguards against AI 'deepfake' physician impersonation

    1. Healthcare Business News, May 1, 2026
    2. “AI deepfakes that impersonate physicians are not just scams, they are a public health and safety crisis,” said AMA CEO John Whyte, MD, MPH. “When bad actors exploit a doctor’s identity, they undermine patient trust and can steer people toward harmful, unproven care. We need strong action by federal and state lawmakers to protect physicians’ identities, ensure transparency, and stop this fraud. Safeguarding professional integrity is essential to preserving trust and delivering high-quality care in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”