Statement attributable to:
Willie Underwood, III, MD, MSc, MPH
President, American Medical Association
“Today’s decision is a victory for patients as it strikes back against unnecessary barriers to care. The court rightly rejected a federal restriction that would have made it harder for people with serious or complex health conditions to qualify for an exemption from Medicaid work requirements. Patients should not have to clear unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles to keep their health coverage, especially hurdles that go beyond what Congress intended. The AMA will continue fighting to protect access to medically necessary care and ensure bureaucratic red tape doesn’t stand in patients’ way.”
Background:
On Sept. 10, the AMA, the Massachusetts Medical Society and nine national medical specialty societies filed an amicus brief in Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Oz, supporting 25 states and the District of Columbia in their challenge to the CMS rule. The brief argued that CMS had unlawfully narrowed the medical frailty exemption Congress established and created unnecessary barriers that could cause eligible patients to lose Medicaid coverage.
The AMA also filed an earlier amicus brief on July 21 supporting the states’ request for a preliminary injunction. The brief highlighted the risk of coverage disruptions for medically vulnerable patients, added administrative burdens on physicians, and the lack of clear clinical standards for determining whether a condition significantly impairs someone’s ability to meet work requirements.
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
