Category: Advocacy
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Alabama Physicians Attend AMA Meeting in Chicago to Discuss State of Health Care
Pictured from left in the back are Dr. Buddy Smith Jr., Dr. Jefferson Underwood and Dr. Jerry Harrison. In front from left are Dr. Steven Furr, Medical Student Delegate Hannah Ficarino from the University of South Alabama, Dr. Jorge Alsip and Dr. John Meigs. During the AMA’s Annual Meeting held June 8-13, 2018, the House…
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President Trump Signs VA Mission Act
UPDATE JUNE 6, 2018: President Trump signed the VA Mission Act designed to increase veterans’ access to timely and private health care. The new VA law aims to combine and expand existing community care programs during the next year with intentions to roll out one centralized community care program next May. Building off the positive…
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President Trump Signs Right-to-Try Act
On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, Pres. Donald Trump signed the Right-to-Try Act, which allows terminally ill patients the ability to try drugs in preliminary testing but not-yet-approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The aim is to make it easier for those patients suffering from fatal illness who have exhausted all other resources to access…
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Demand for Non-Physician Providers Rose to Make Up for Physician Shortage
The Medical Group Management Association has released its 2018 MGMA DataDive Provider Compensation Survey revealing primary care physicians’ compensation rose by more than 10 percent over the past five years. This increase, which is nearly double that of specialty physicians’ compensation over the same period, is further evidence of the worsening primary care physician shortage…
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Trump Administration Releases Drug Pricing Blueprint
On May 11, The Trump Administration released “American Patients First,” the President’s blueprint to lower drug prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs, along with a request for information. The Blueprint was framed as advancing four specific goals: Reducing list prices; Improving government’s ability to negotiate better prices; Encouraging competition through rapid entry to market of generics and…
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What’s the Future for Physicians without Net Neutrality?
Net neutrality has changed the digital landscape for millions of Americans, specifically physicians and health care professionals, but that could all change on June 11. In December, the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal the net neutrality rules set in place by the Obama Administration, and on June 11 the repeal of net neutrality is…
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![What If No One Was On Call [at the Legislature]?](https://alabamamedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AlabamaStateHouse_banner.jpg)
What If No One Was On Call [at the Legislature]?
2018 Recap of the Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature In times of illness, injury and emergency, patients depend on their physicians. But what if no one was on call? Public health would be in jeopardy. However, the same holds true for the Legislature. During the 2018 session alone, if the Medical Association had not…
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MOC UPDATE: Working to Solve Problems with Certifications
UPDATE DEC. 12, 2018: The Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission has released its draft report for public comment. The report, which includes the Commission’s key findings and recommendations, will be posted on the Vision Initiative website for comment through Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 at 11:00 p.m. CST. The Medical Association continues to work…
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STUDY: Independent Practice Declines Due Partially to EHRs
A new study conducted by the Trump Administration suggests electronic health records are currently failing at reducing the cost of billing for medical facilities, especially for independent practices. “Small physicians’ groups and solo providers could not afford to purchase and maintain electronic medical records and comply with government reporting requirements,” the White House report stated.…
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Bipartisan Budget Act Boosts Health Programs
In a rare show of bipartisanship for the mostly polarized 115th Congress, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 is officially one for the record books. The week leading up to the final vote was far from smooth with Sen. Nancy Pelosi impressively filibustering on the floor of the U.S. Senate for eight hours to Rep.…