This year's American Medical Association (AMA) Annual Meeting was highlighted by several victories for Michigan physicians and medical students. Most notably, the election of S. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, to the AMA Board of Trustees. Other Michigan members achieving recognition include:

• Betty S. Chu, MD, MBA, elected to the AMA Integrated Physician Practice Section (IPPS) Governing Council for the large group category; and,
• Jay Llaniguez, Wayne State University School of Medicine, elected to the 2017-2018 AMA Medical Student Section Governing Council and will serve as Vice Speaker.

Michigan's Delegation, led by Chair James D. Grant, MD, MBA, was also busy advocating for 17 new resolutions sent from this year's MSMS House of Delegates meeting and one report from the AMA Council on Medical Education that was written in response to a Michigan resolution submitted last year. Of those items three were adopted, six were adopted as amended, three were reaffirmed as existing policy, four were referred for further study, one was combined with other resolutions on the same topic into a substitute resolution, and one was not adopted.

Michigan's resolutions dealt with several timely issues including the opioid crisis, immigration policy, and maintenance of certification. Below are some of the issues brought forth by Michigan that were adopted as AMA policy.

• Asking the AMA to work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure payment and clear billing and coding processes under Medicaid for the medical management and treatment of all substance use disorders.
   
• Calling for advocacy around the need for available and affordable naloxone in response to the fact that some manufacturers of naloxone have dramatically increased their list prices, which has led to reports of reduced access by community-based organizations, first responders, public health agencies, and others.
   
• Advocating that the names and initial certification status of time-limited diplomates remain on the American Board of Medical Specialties' and ABMS member boards' websites or physician certification databases even if the diplomate chooses not to participate in any of the four-part maintenance of certification process.
   
• Opposing immigration policy that creates barriers for physicians regarding the visa process and entry or re-entry to the United States based on their country of origin and/or religion.
   
• Directing the AMA to promote healthier Food options for food banks and dissemination user-friendly resources and education on healthier eating.

"Members of the Michigan Delegation worked hard in support of these resolutions," Doctor Grant said. "I'm proud of their dedication and efforts at the Annual meeting."

In addition to much discussion and concern over the implementation of the new Medicare reimbursement structure under MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015) and the repeal and replacement of the ACA (Affordable Care Act), other issues in the forefront included Medicaid funding and block grants, prior authorization burdens and the impact on care delivery and physician and staff burnout, out-of-network referrals and the need for greater transparency and network adequacy standards, and interpreter and translator costs and the need for payers including Medicaid programs and Medicaid managed care plans to cover and directly pay for these services.

To view the Top Stories from the 2017 AMA Annual Meeting, visit https://wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/top-stories-2017-ama-annual-meeting.