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AAPM&R Delegates to the AMA HOD Advocate for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

Members & Publications

June 19, 2018

On June 9-13, 2018, AAPM&R delegates participated in the Annual Meeting for the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD). The AAPM&R delegation was represented by Drs. Susan Hubbell (AMA Delegate and PM&R Section Council Chair), Stuart Glassman (AMA Delegate), and Brittany Bicklehaupt (Resident and Fellow Section Representative, Alternate Delegate).

AAPM&R, as a recipient of a grant to Improve Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) education, introduced and advocated for the following resolution:

Resolution 304: Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Designated as a Medically Underserved Population

  1. RESOLVED, that our American Medical Association advocate that the Health Resources and Services Administration include persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as a medically underserved population.
  2. RESOLVED, that our AMA encourage medical schools and graduate medical education programs to include IDD-related competencies and objectives in their curricula.

Dr. Bicklehaupt Many delegates spoke in support of Resolution 304, noting that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities represent a unique high-risk population that may require additional health resources beyond those which are readily available to them. As a result, the HOD voted to accept Resolve 1 as official policy of the AMA. However, the HOD voted that current AMA policy be reaffirmed in lieu of Resolve 2, as existing policy (H-90.968, “Medical Care of Persons with Developmental Disabilities”) already calls for education on this important topic.

Many additional timely reports and resolutions were discussed by the HOD, with topics including Health Care Reform (changes to Medicaid), Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternate Payment Models (APMs), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and Opioid Prescribing and Substance Use Disorder – related issues. Click here to view the full report of activities at this years Annual HOD Meeting.

Learn more about the Academy's involvement with the AMA HOD. 

Legislation Introduced to Alleviate Impact of Conversion Factor Cut for 2021

Nov 09, 2020

Last month, two bills were introduced in the House proposing solutions to the estimated 10.6% Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor cut expected to go into effect January 1, 2021.  The bills offer some relief to the cut, but do not reflect a comprehensive or long-term solution.  AAPM&R has therefore chosen to remain neutral regarding these bills. 

Your Academy continues to advocate for a permanent solution to the conversion factor cut while maintaining the important payment increases to office and outpatient evaluation and management services.

 

 

 

 

 

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