As the GOP and the American Medical Association (AMA) throw verbal punches over physician payments, it’s hard not to notice the drama unfolding. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is leading the charge, questioning the AMA’s transparency with its grip on the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding system.
The GOP is accusing the AMA of using CPT revenue to push a political agenda that doesn’t reflect the wider medical community. Imagine that! Cassidy wants to know how the AMA assesses fees for these codes, raising alarms about patient costs and potential monopolistic practices. Talk about a messy situation.
Things have escalated, with the Senate HELP Committee digging deeper after the AMA’s less-than-satisfactory responses. The GOP is framing the AMA’s advocacy as a prioritization of physician income over what patients can actually afford. It’s a tough pill to swallow for many Americans.
The Senate HELP Committee is probing deeper, as the GOP accuses the AMA of prioritizing physician profits over patient affordability.
Meanwhile, the AMA is not sitting idle. In the third quarter of 2025, it shelled out a whopping $4.62 million on lobbying efforts focused on Medicare physician payment reform. They’re pushing for changes to the Medicare payment structure, advocating for more residency slots, and trying to make telehealth flexibilities permanent. In fact, they have invested $430 million in total in lobbying since August 2003. Additionally, the AMA is increasingly concerned about the reduction in physician payments that could further strain practices, especially in rural areas.
They’re even tackling issues like pharmacy benefit manager transparency and the integration of AI. But it all seems overshadowed by the grim reality of Medicare payment reductions—an average cut of 2.93% this year alone.
With cuts piling up for five years straight, it’s no wonder the AMA is backing the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act. They’re fighting tooth and nail to stop further reductions.
Meanwhile, bipartisan efforts are bubbling up, with various bills aiming to fix the Medicare physician fee fiasco. But will any of it actually stick? Only time will tell. As it stands, the battle lines are drawn, and both sides are ready for a showdown.
