1. Our AMA will collaborate with interested parties to develop quality initiatives that exclusively benefit patients, protect patient access, do not contain requirements that permit third party interference in the patient-physician relationship, and are consistent with AMA policy and Code of Medical Ethics, including Policy H-450.947, which establishes the AMA’s Principles and Guidelines for Pay-for-Performance and Policy H-406.994, which establishes principles for organizations to follow when developing physician profiles, and that our AMA actively oppose any pay-for-performance program that does not meet all the principles set forth in Policy H-450.947.
2. Our AMA strongly opposes the use of tiered and narrow physician networks that deny patient access to, or attempt to steer patients towards, certain physicians primarily based on cost of care factors.
3. Our AMA pledges an unshakable and uncompromising commitment to the welfare of our patients, the health of our nation and the primacy of the patient-physician relationship free from intrusion from third parties.
4. Because there are reports that pay-for-performance programs may pose more risks to patients than benefits, our AMA will prepare an annual report on the risks and benefits of pay-for-performance programs, in general and specifically the largest programs in the country including Medicare, for the House of Delegates over the next three years, beginning at the 2007 Interim Meeting. This report should shall clearly delineate between private pay-for-performance programs and voluntary public pay-for-reporting and other related quality initiatives.
5. Our AMA will continue to work with other medical and specialty associations to develop effective means of maintaining high quality medical care which may include physician accountability to robust, effective, fair peer review programs, and use of specialty-based clinical data registries.
6. As a step toward providing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with data on special populations with higher health risk levels and developing variable incentives in achieving quality, our AMA will continue to work with CMS to encourage and support pilot projects, such as the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), by state and specialty medical societies that are developed collaboratively to demonstrate effective incentives for improving quality, cost-effectiveness, and appropriateness of care.
7. Our AMA will advocate that physicians be allowed to review and correct inaccuracies in their patient specific data well in advance of any public release, decreased payments, or forfeiture of opportunity for additional compensation.
Policy Timeline
BOT Rep. 18, A-07 Reaffirmed in lieu of Res. 729, A-08 Reaffirmation A-09 Reaffirmed: BOT Rep. 18, A-09 Reaffirmation I-10 Reaffirmed in lieu of Res. 808, I-10 Reaffirmed in lieu of Res. 824, I-10 Reaffirmed: BOT Action in response to referred for decision Res. 816, I-16