May 2, 2025: National Advocacy Update

The AMA submitted comments (PDF) in response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Integrity and Affordability proposed rule. In the letter, the AMA expressed general support for the goals of enhancing program integrity in an effort to keep premiums affordable for Americans and protecting taxpayer dollars. 

At the same time, the letter reiterated strong support for a system that offers continuous, affordable coverage for all Americans underscoring that lacking insurance leads to deferred care, poorer health outcomes, and more expensive care in the long run.  

The AMA asked the administration to reconsider several specific provisions that are anticipated to reduce coverage, as evidenced by the projected reduction in enrollment of up to two million individuals per year, and $11-14 billion in fewer advanced premium tax credits (APTC) available to Americans to help afford their health insurance every year. Specifically, the AMA called on the administration to maintain navigator funding and the full enrollment period as enrollees are navigating other changes proposed in the rule. In addition, the AMA asked the agency to reconsider loosening actuarial value requirements, which will make coverage less robust and negatively impact tax credits, therefore making coverage less affordable, particularly for Americans with greater health care needs, such as those living with chronic conditions. 

The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance calling on legacy Oracle Health/Cerner users to confirm the security of their credential material (usernames, passwords, PINs, encryption keys, and other authentication methods) after a possible compromise of legacy Oracle cloud systems. There have been multiple reports about a possible breach of patient data at Oracle Health, although a breach has not been publicly confirmed.  

CISA’s guidance provides a reminder that if a user’s credential material is exposed as part of a breach, it could pose significant threats to a user’s information technology environment, as threat actors routinely harvest and weaponize such credentials. Exposed credential material could also lead to compromised patient information and potentially a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-related breach. Legacy Oracle Health/Cerner users should take several steps to protect their systems, including:   

• Immediately update any potentially affected passwords that may have been reused across other platforms or services. 

• Use strong, unique passwords for each account and enable phishing-resistant multifactor authentication (MFA) on services and applications that support it. 

• Remain alert against phishing attempts (e.g., referencing login issues, password resets, or suspicious activity notifications).  

The AMA encourages physician practices to reach out to their representatives from Oracle Health/Cerner to discuss potential remedies to exposed credential information and next steps for their practices. The AMA will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. 

The AMA recently urged support (PDF) for the bipartisan Fatal Overdose Reduction Act (S. 665), introduced by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), which would expand upon a Washington-developed pilot program, establishing the Health Engagement Hub Demonstration Program across the U.S. The Health Engagement Hubs would provide substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and harm reduction services as well as support naloxone distribution. 

“The AMA believes that successfully implemented health engagement hubs are positive, community-based efforts which generally take advantage of existing resources to coordinate and enhance access to care for individuals with an SUD,” wrote AMA CEO and EVP James L. Madara, MD. “The AMA is committed to eliminating unnecessary barriers to SUD patient care, and this legislation is a welcome step toward that goal.” 

The U.S. drug overdose and death epidemic has killed more than one million Americans in the past 25 years. The AMA continues to urge policymakers to remove barriers to evidence-based treatment for SUDs and support harm reduction strategies to save lives from overdose.  

Learn more about the AMA’s efforts to end the nation’s drug-related overdose epidemic.  

Access physician resources from Washington.  

Join us for a discussion about the ongoing development of augmented intelligence (AI) policy in health care. AI continues to be top of mind for policymakers interested in supporting innovation and the promised benefits of AI while also addressing ongoing concerns around patient safety, the need to ensure accuracy of AI systems, and the importance of keeping a physician in the loop in the delivery of health care. 

During this Advocacy Insights webinar on May 13 at 11:30 a.m. Central time, you will hear about the ongoing development of AI policy from a national perspective, learn about the evolving federal landscape, and hear how state lawmakers are addressing AI in health care, particularly related to transparency and payer use of AI. 

Host 

• Bruce A. Scott, MD, president, AMA   

Speakers 

• Jared Augenstein, senior managing director, Manatt Health   

• Emily Carroll, JD, senior attorney, Advocacy Resource Center, AMA  

• Shannon Curtis, JD, assistant director, Federal Affairs, AMA    

• Kim Horvath, JD, senior attorney, Advocacy Resource Center, AMA