Statements from the American Medical Association
The following are statements issued by the AMA through their current president, Bruce A. Scott, MD.
AMA urges public to get vaccinated amid growing measles outbreaks
As the number of measles cases reported across the U.S. continues to grow, vaccination rates decline, and spring break travel begins, the American Medical Association (AMA) today issued the following statement urging individuals to get vaccinated against the measles if not already immune.
“In Texas and a growing number of states across the country, declining vaccination rates are fueling a staggering increase in measles illnesses, measles hospitalizations, and the first death from the disease in years— all primarily among unvaccinated populations.
“As parents, our instinct is to do everything we can to keep our children safe. In the case of measles – a highly contagious disease that can cause severe health problems—that means getting your children vaccinated today. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is extraordinarily safe and effective. Available at doctors’ offices, clinics, and government health centers, the MMR vaccine is the surest, safest way to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community from measles. I urge you to talk to your physician, talk to your pediatrician, and get your family and children the MMR vaccine as soon as possible if you have not already done so.
“With measles outbreaks occurring in multiple states and spring break travel approaching, the AMA urges everyone who isn’t already vaccinated to get themselves and their families vaccinated against measles now. Measles is extremely contagious and can cause life-threatening illness. There is no cure or specific antiviral treatment for measles. Vaccination remains the best defense against measles infection. Vaccination not only prevents infection, measles-related complications and even death, but also helps prevent further spread to loved ones, neighbors, co-workers and others in close contact. When immunization rates are high, people who cannot be protected directly by vaccines are protected because they are not exposed to the disease.”
Congress abandons Medicare patients and their physicians
“Physicians across the country are outraged that Congress’s proposed spending package locks in a devastating fifth consecutive year of Medicare cuts, threatening access to care for 66 million Medicare patients. Despite repeated warnings, lawmakers are once again ignoring the dire consequences of these cuts and their impact both on patients and the private practices struggling to keep their doors open.
“Today’s decision to allow the 2.8 percent cut to go forward is particularly devastating for rural and underserved communities. These physicians and their patients have borne the brunt of the rising practice costs – 3.5 percent this year according to Medicare’s own estimate. When adjusted for inflation, Medicare payment to physician practices has dropped 33 percent (PDF) since 2001. Let me be clear: These unsustainable cuts will force more practices to close and leave patients with fewer options for care.
“Congress has failed physicians, and Medicare patients will pay the price. The window to reverse this reckless decision is rapidly closing. Lawmakers must explain either why protecting access to quality health care is not a priority or how they plan to fix it.”
Momentum building to stop the Medicare cut
“The House GOP Doctors Caucus recognizes that the current path forward for physicians—especially those serving rural and underserved communities—is unsustainable and explains its strong support for H.R. 879, the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act. This bipartisan legislation would stop the 2.83% cut physician practices suffered at the start of this year—the fifth straight year of cuts. It also would provide a 2% payment update to help offset the rising costs of running a practice.
“You don’t have to be a physician to understand the threat to access for Medicare patients these continued cuts pose. But those of us on the front lines caring for patients see it every day. We commend the caucus for its endorsement and urge all patients and physicians concerned about access to contact their lawmakers before the March 14 deadline for the continuing resolution. Since its introduction, the bill has picked up support, and everyone in medicine is urging Congress to include this bill in the next spending package. There are now 99 bipartisan cosponsors.
“If Congress were comprised solely of physicians, this would be easy. But only a handful of lawmakers have practiced medicine, and now they are taking the lead on this issue. We hope the rest of Congress will follow.”
AMA welcomes MedPAC’s move toward Medicare reform
“For those who study Medicare—such as the experts at Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)—and those of us on the front lines of health care, today suggests a pivotal agreement on the path toward Medicare payment reform. The American Medical Association (AMA) appreciates commissioners and staff for listening to physicians around the country.
“MedPAC today discussed recommending to indefinitely link payment updates for physician practices to the growth in the cost of providing care, a position long championed by the AMA. This policy change is needed to ensure patients will have continued access to care. It just makes sense that payment must keep pace with increasing costs. Other providers already have automatic, yearly updates, and physicians are the foundation of health care. MedPAC is likely to vote on these policy recommendations next month.
“MedPAC has plenty of evidence for the need to change its recommended approach: the rate of medical inflation is high while physician payments (PDF) have been cut for five consecutive years; physicians are abandoning private practice as they cannot make the economics work; physicians are suffering from high burnout while trying to treat their patients.
“We hope Congress pays attention. In December, Congress failed to stop the latest cut in Medicare payments—this time by 2.8%—despite practice costs rising by 3.5% according to Medicare’s own estimate. The AMA and its congressional supporters are working to reverse those cuts in the continuing resolution that must be passed by March 14 or face a government shutdown.
“For years, the AMA has pointed out that the system is unsustainable. MedPAC today bolstered that message. Will Congress listen?”
Assessing the landscape, MedPAC has navigated toward this policy change. Earlier this year, it voted to recommend tying Medicare updates to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), or practice cost inflation for 2026. The recommended update to physician practices was for MEI minus 1 percentage point. At the meeting today, MedPAC considered a recommendation to change the baseline increase to physician payment from 0.25% (or 0.75% if participating in an alternative payment model) under current law to a portion of MEI, such as MEI minus 1 percentage point. While the AMA is seeking an annual update that fully reflects the MEI, we see this as an important step in that direction of ensuring predictability and stability for physician payment to maintain and improve access to care.
