The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted several new policies aimed at protecting patients and addressing health equity. These include measures to make prescriptions more affordable for Medicare Advantage patients, support for medical-legal partnerships, opposition to restrictive in-vitro fertilization (IVF) legislation, and guidelines on the ethical use of de-identified patient data.
One key policy aims to limit out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Advantage patients requiring physician-administered drugs or biologics. The AMA will advocate for federal policies ensuring that these costs are no higher than those faced by traditional Medicare patients with a Medigap plan. Supporters argue that current policies disproportionately impact under-resourced patients who may face high co-pays. Ilse R. Levin, D.O., MPH & TM, a member of the AMA Board of Trustees, stated: “When signing up for Medicare Advantage, patients don’t know which expensive drugs they might require and then find out that the drugs aren’t covered or require a 20 percent co-payment. That guarantees a disparity in outcomes that this policy aims to address.”
In an effort to expand health equity further, the AMA will also support the establishment and funding of medical-legal partnerships and civil legal aid services. These partnerships integrate legal expertise into healthcare settings to help address social determinants of health such as family violence, housing issues, and disability access. Dr. Levin emphasized the educational benefits: “Medical-legal partnerships can help educate physicians and medical students on screening for social determinants and legal needs.”
Additionally, following a state Supreme Court ruling that embryos are human beings—a decision leading some clinics to halt IVF services—the AMA has voiced opposition to any legislation or ballot measures that could criminalize IVF procedures. AMA President-elect Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., commented: “The Alabama court decision threatened to upend a safe, family-affirming medical procedure... We need to make sure it is available.”
Addressing concerns over patient privacy in digital health ecosystems, the AMA adopted ethical guidelines regarding de-identified patient data. David H. Aizuss, M.D., an AMA Board Member, noted: “De-identified and aggregated clinical health data should be treated as a form of public good... all entities granted access to the data become data stewards with a duty to uphold the ethical values of health care.”
These newly adopted policies reflect the AMA's ongoing commitment to addressing both financial barriers within healthcare systems and broader societal factors influencing patient well-being.
