The health risks associated with unhealthy weight and obesity are a concern to every physician and medical professional. With more than a third of the adult population classified as obese in the US, and estimated 17percent of children and adolescents falling into that category, the impact on chronic disease is alarming. The AMA has developed a program to help physicians coach their patients on improving their diet and physical activity regimen. The New Mexico Medical Society is collaborating with the AMA on this program and is recruiting physicians to implement and evaluate the program for three months. Participating physicians will receive free patient materials, intervention tools as well as a small gift of appreciation. Space is limited. The participation criteria and application are available to download. If you have any questions, contact Janet Williams at the AMA, janet.williams@ama-assn.org or call 312-464-5073 or Annie Jung at NMMS ajung@nmms.org or call 505-828-0237.

Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act of 2010 - News Release & Letter of Support

AMA Encourages Community-Clinical Partnerships to Increase Use of Preventive Health Services Among Boomers Statement is attributable to: Edward L. Langston, MD, AMA Board Member, November 19, 2009

General Business
The Economic Impact of Office Based Physicians in New Mexico:
A report prepared by SNR Denton & The Lewin Group for the AMA (April 2011)

Letter from Ardis Hoven MD, Chair AMA Board of Trustees (November 4, 2010)

Health Reform
State Health Insurance Exchanges - Discussion Paper from the Advocacy Resource Center at the AMA (July 8, 2011)

HealthCareandYou.org, is intended to be a reliable source of factual, easy-to-understand information. It features pages for 50 states and DC, where residents can learn more about health care in their state and see some of the coverage options available to them. It also allows visitors to personalize the information they access according to whether or they are over or under age 65, or if they are small business owners. As implementation of the ACA proceeds, more detailed information will be added, particularly with respect to the state-specific content.

Accountable Care Organizations - Recommendations to CMS (December 2, 2010)

Comparative Effectiveness research: communicating CER findings to physicians (AMA Health System Reform, October 22, 2010)

New 2011 Medicare Payment Rule Implements Key Provisions of Reform Law (AMA, July 1, 2010)

Federal Funding to Test Medical Liability Alternatives (June 24, 2010)

AMA Resources on New Payment Pathways (June 10, 2010)

How reform law integrity provisions impact your practice (June 3, 2010)

Medicare Payment Adjustments Made for 2010 (May 27, 2010)

Independent Payment Advisory Board (May 13, 2010)

New Payment and Delivery Reform Models (May 6, 2010)

Health Reform - Major Provisions Related to Insurance Coverage
AMA Report (April 29, 2010)

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Overview of major provisions relating to coverage (April 27, 2010)

Health Reform - How it Affects Taxes (April 22, 2010)

How Health Reform Raises Geographic Payments from Medicare (April 9, 2010)

Health Reform Insight (April 1, 2010)

How Health Care Reform Will Affect Your Practice (March 24, 2010)

Implementation Timeline Under HR 3590 (March 23, 2010)

FAQs about Health System Reform Legislation HR 3590 (March 19, 2010)

How AMA-HOD Resolution 203 Provisions Are Addressed in HR 3590 and HR 4872 (March 19, 2010)

House Support Letter for HR 3590 - Letter to Representative Pelosi (March 18, 2010)

Key Health Reform Provisions - Letter to President Obama (February 24, 2010)

HIPAA
What You Need to Know About the New HIPAA Breach Notification Rule (September 25, 2009)

Medical Liability
Medical Liability Reform Should Be Part of Health Reform - Joint Letter February 24, 2010

Medical Professional Liability Insurance Premiums: Changes and Levels, 2004-2009. Policy Research Perspective by Jose Guardado PhD. January 19, 2010

Professional Liability Insurance Indemnity and Expenses, Claim Adjudication, and Policy Limits, 1999-2008. Policy Research Perspective by Jose Guardado PhD. January 19, 2010

Medicaid
CMS proposes rule for Medicaid's "equal access" requirement (June 30, 2011)

Medicare
Proposed Changes to the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program; RIN 0938-AR00 (Letter of July 26, 2011 to Don Berwick, MD, Administrator, CMS)

Physicians Grassroots Checklist (November 12, 2010)

Medicare Patient Flyer (November 12, 2010)

SGR-Lame Duck Letter to US House of Representatives (September 29. 2010)

AMA Online Survey of Physicians - The Impact of Medicare Physician Payment on Seniors Access' to Care (May, 2010)

"Extender Bill" - Temporary Fix to SGR - Letter from AMA President James Rohack (May 20, 2010)

Medicare Cuts Begin on April 1, 2010 - Letter from AMA President James Rohack (March 26, 2010)

Practice Management Issues
"AMAGINE," Health IT Solutions Platform for Physicians

Physicians File Lawsuit on FTC's Red Flags Rule (May 21, 2010)

Steps Physicians Should Take If In Danger of Identity Theft (December 22, 2009)

UnitedHealth Group UCR Settlement
Resources to help understand and file claims for the United HealthCare Class Action Litigation (April 16, 2010)