ASCO DELEGATES participated in the American Medical Association’s (AMA) June Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates (HOD). The AMA HOD is the principal policy-making body of AMA and meets twice a year to discuss pressing issues and establish association policies.
This year, delegates approved several ASCO-led resolutions and incorporated them into the AMA’s policy agenda.
Resolutions approved by the AMA HOD included:
- Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs): Commits AMA to gather more data on PBMs and the impact of their tactics on patient outcomes, timely access to medications, and the patient-physician relationship.
- 340B Drug Discount Program: Commits AMA to support reforms to 340B, including a change in eligibility for program participation and making the program more transparent.
- Interpharmacy Transfer of Opioid Prescriptions: Commits AMA to support legislation that would make it easier to transfer electronic opioid prescriptions to ensure patients with a bona fide need for opioids are able to access medications in a timely manner.
- Survivorship Care Plans: Reaffirmed existing AMA policy on the need to improve billing for survivorship plans.
- Alcohol Use and Cancer: Reaffirmed existing AMA policy that alcohol is a modifiable risk for cancer and physicians should provide support and counsel to their patients.
The HOD approved additional resolutions related to cancer research and care, including opposing Medicaid waivers that allow states to discontinue coverage for beneficiaries who do not complete eligibility requirements in a timely fashion, opposing purposeful information blocking, and supporting a rigorous pathway for approval of interchangeability of biosimilars.
Also during this year’s meeting, Barbara L. McAneny, MD, FASCO, MACP, was sworn in as the President of the AMA, making her the first oncologist to hold the position. Dr. McAneny is a long-time ASCO volunteer and previously served on the ASCO Board of Directors (2005–2008) and as a liaison to the AMA House of Delegates (2002–2013). ASCO offers its congratulations to Dr. McAneny for a successful campaign and looks forward to continued work with her in this well-deserved new role.
Stay connected to ASCO’s advocacy activities at AMA HOD meetings and in federal and state governments through asco.org/ascoaction. ■
© 2018. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
