ACOG Secures Key Women’s Health Wins at American Medical Association House of Delegates Special Meeting

The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD) Special Meeting concluded this week after convening virtually, debating vigorously, and adopting new AMA policies, including several ACOG priorities.

Physicians from across the nation convene twice a year for the AMA HOD to determine AMA policy on issues impacting health care access, delivery, and outcomes. ACOG's 14-member delegation, led by Drs. Nita Kulkarni (MI) and Diana Ramos (CA), has become a powerful and respected voice at the AMA, bringing a perspective of women's health and the ob-gyn specialty to important discussions.

ACOG’s hard-working AMA delegation achieved major gains during the November 2021 Special Meeting, including securing AMA support for ACOG priorities including:

• Successfully overcoming efforts to dilute strong policy extending Medicaid and CHIP coverage for pregnant people to one year postpartum, regardless of immigration status
• Affirming AMA’s support for inclusive, accessible education in abortion, including for medical students
• Averting pending Medicare physician payment cuts and advocating for a long-term solution that ensures a Medicare physician payment system that addresses increasing costs of physician practices
• Strengthening AMA’s efforts to combat public health disinformation, including when disseminated by health care professionals
• Designating pregnancy as a qualifying life event for enrollment in the ACA marketplaces
• Improving the accessibility and affordability of menstrual products
• Addressing confidentiality concerns for adolescent patients using telehealth modalities
• Supporting greater law enforcement accountability and community involvement in policing policies

During the meeting, the delegation convened ACOG members who participate in the House of Delegates to discuss these and other priorities. ACOG CEO Maureen Phipps, MD, MPH, gave an overview of activities underway across the College, from new coding resources to efforts to counter restrictions on abortion care. ACOG’s Lead for Equity Transformation, Jen Villavicencio, MD, MPP, spoke about ACOG’s work to advance ACOG’s collective action for addressing racism, including underscoring the importance of obstetrician-gynecologist voices in shaping and advancing health equity efforts in the AMA.

Past wins for ACOG at the House of Delegates include introducing resolutions in support of establishing maternal mortality review committees and extending Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum. AMA’s adoption of these policies has positioned the organization to join ACOG’s advocacy efforts in advancing them at the state and federal levels.

ACOG's size and strength in the AMA HOD is determined by the number of our members who are also members of the AMA. Want women's health and our specialty to have an even bigger impact in AMA policy? Join the AMA today, and designate your ob-gyn specialty.