New AMA Policies Adopted on Final Day of 2018 Interim Meeting
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Protecting and Improving Access to Zero-dollar Preventive Care
The AMA will take steps promoting patient access to preventive interventions as the health care industry strives to provide coverage for select preventive services without cost-sharing as required by the Affordable Care Act's (ACA).
"The ACA requirement for coverage of select preventive services without cost-sharing has been a popular and successful step in promoting access to preventive care, but more could and should be done to facilitate and incentivize high-value care," said AMA Secretary
Stakeholders throughout the health care community can benefit from common understanding of which preventive services are covered without patient cost-sharing, how such services should be coded for billing, and education tools about recommended preventive services and their availability without cost-sharing.
The AMA decided to pursue three steps to protect and improve access to zero-dollar preventive care:
* First, the AMA will continue to support requiring private health plans to provide coverage for evidence-based preventive services without imposing cost-sharing on patients.
* Second, the AMA will develop coding guidance tools to help providers appropriately bill for zero-dollar preventive interventions and promote common understanding regarding what will be covered at given cost-sharing levels.
* Finally, the AMA will develop physician educational tools that prepare physicians for conversations with their patients about the scope of preventive services provided without cost-sharing and instances where and when preventive services may result in financial obligations for the patient.
Continued 9-1-1 Modernization and Implementation of Text-to-9-1-1 Service
With the current 9-1-1 system primarily built upon infrastructure that does not uniformly support modern communications technologies including texting, geolocation and images, delegates approved a resolution aimed at bolstering the system, particularly with regard to SMS messaging. The resolution supports funding for the modernization of the 9-1-1 infrastructure and the incorporation of text to 9-1-1 technology, which would improve access to 9-1-1 services for those with hearing and speech disabilities, as well as in locations where 9-1-1 call centers are not currently mandated to accept SMS messages.
"Infrastructure and SMS improvements to our 9-1-1 system will save lives, period," said
Expanding Broadband and Wireless Connectivity
The AMA will advocate for the expansion of broadband and wireless connectivity in underserved areas to ensure equal access to digital health tools that require connectivity.
"Patients stand at the intersection of health and technology. Without broadband and wireless, patients in underserved areas will face even greater health challenges," said
Sexual Assault Education and Prevention in
The AMA will support state legislation mandating that public middle and high school health education programs include age appropriate information on sexual assault education and prevention, including but not limited to topics of consent and sexual bullying.
"This topic often is discussed in college, 42 percent of forced sexual violence victims are assaulted before they are 18 years old. We need to tackle this problem earlier to protect our children," said
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