Pennsylvania Physicians Advocate in Washington at AMA National Advocacy Conference

Pennsylvania physicians joined colleagues from across the country in Washington, DC, for the American Medical Association’s (AMA) National Advocacy Conference (NAC), where they met with members of Congress and congressional staff to discuss federal policies impacting patient care and physician practice.

During Capitol Hill meetings, the Pennsylvania delegation focused on several key priorities, including stabilizing Medicare physician payments to protect access for seniors, reducing administrative burdens associated with prior authorization, and protecting patient access to coverage through Medicaid. Physicians discussed the need for permanent Medicare payment reforms tied to practice cost inflation, improvements to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), expanded alternative payment model opportunities, and bipartisan legislation to streamline prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans. Delegates also emphasized the importance of careful implementation of recent Medicaid policy changes to minimize disruptions in coverage and care, particularly for vulnerable populations.

In addition to congressional meetings, attendees participated in conference programming featuring federal policymakers and national health policy leaders. This included remarks from U.S. Representative John Joyce, MD (R-PA-13), who represents Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District in south-central Pennsylvania and is one of several physicians currently serving in Congress. 

Pennsylvania’s strong presence at NAC reflects the important role physicians play in shaping national health policy. By meeting directly with lawmakers and sharing their clinical expertise, physicians actively influence decisions that affect patients every day. As Congress considers policies impacting Medicare, Medicaid, and administrative burden, continued physician advocacy will remain essential to advancing solutions that protect patient access to care and support the sustainability of physician practices."