After staying away over the past several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians have returned to Washington, D.C., to lobby Congress, Kaiser Health News reported Feb. 17.
About 350 physicians recently went to Capitol Hill on behalf of the American Medical Association to gain support for the organization's "Recovery Plan for America's Physicians," according to the report. The plan is a wish list that includes a pay raise, prior authorization reforms and more federally funded residency slots to train physicians.
The AMA has a full staff of lobbyists in D.C., but AMA President Jack Resneck Jr., MD, said "There is nothing quite like telling members of Congress how things work in their district," according to the report.
The push for the plan was the first time the AMA sent physicians to the Capitol in three years, according to the report. Since their last visit, many congressional seats have turned over to new members with new legislative aides. The physicians said they need to spend time in-person educating the new members about complex Medicare payment rules and other issues important to the profession.