The American Medical Association Advocates for AAGL and Its Members

The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest and most influential organization of physicians in the United States. Founded in 1847, the AMA has a long history of advancing the art and science of medicine, promoting public health, and defending the rights and interests of physicians and patients.

The AMA represents more than 190 state and specialty organizations, including AAGL, ensuring that specialists’ needs and concerns are addressed nationally. This advocacy can improve practice conditions, reimbursement rates, and patient care standards. 

AAGL members benefit from this representation on a national level.

The AMA House of Delegates (HOD) is the AMA’s principal policy-making body. It comprises representatives from state and specialty medical societies and other groups, such as medical students, residents, and young physicians.

The AAGL delegation consists of two delegates and one alternate delegate to the AMA. Dr. Sheena Galhotra and I represent AAGL as your delegates, and Dr. Asha McClurg represents AAGL as your alternate delegate. Additionally, AAGL has two delegates representing the AMA-Young Physicians Section. The AAGL delegation advocates for our society collaboratively with the 14 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) delegation members. 

Many of my AAGL colleagues have asked me what the AMA does for them. Over the past seven years, the AAGL delegation has advocated for policies on several issues critical to our AAGL members:

1. Increased reimbursement for proceduralists.
2. Research on the ergonomic impact of surgery on physician longevity.
3. Scope of practice issues.
4. Drug manufacturing safety.
5. Improving research standards, approval processes, and post-market surveillance standards for medical devices.
6. Opposing the DEA and FDA placing Gabapentin into Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act.
7. Promoting accountability in prior authorization.
8. Medical liability insurance for telehealth for patients outside the state in which a physician has a license.
9. Designation of neuropathic pain as a disease state distinct from nociceptive pain.
10. Promotion of the private practice model as a viable avenue to deliver safe, reliable healthcare.
11. Supporting the FDA guidance for single-use devices reprocessed by third parties.
12. Petition the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow reimbursement for off-label use of medications like gabapentin or lidocaine patches at the lowest co-payment tier for the indication of pain.
13. Use of Ethylene oxide in the sterilization process for many of the gynecologic surgical devices.
14. Increased federal funding for endometriosis awareness and research.
15. Reducing barriers to providing gender-affirming care.

The AMA empowers specialty societies, like AAGL and their members, to advocate for their interests and values, shape the future of medicine and health care, and advance the health and well-being of their patients and communities. The AMA is the voice of all physicians and the voice of medicine.

As your delegates, Drs. Galhotra, McClurg, and I make every effort to maximize AAGL’s exposure on a national level and advocate for our society’s members and patients. We are honored to represent our organization and thank you for your support.