Arizona Physicians Represented During AMA House of Delegates Meeting

September 3, 2026

Artificial Intelligence, Prior Authorization, & More Discussed at AMA's 2026 Annual Meeting & House of Delegates

The Arizona Medical Association's full American Medical Association delegation, led by Dr. Ronnie Dowling and including Drs. Addis, Baltazar, Figge, Jasser, Kazi, Leib, and Rejbi, along with 135th President Dr. Nachbar, represented Arizona physicians at the 2026 AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago. The House of Delegates worked through hundreds of resolutions this year, and several outcomes carry direct implications for how Arizona physicians practice and get paid.


Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

Delegates drew a clear line on AI: it can support clinical decision-making, but it cannot replace physician judgment. The AMA adopted policy requiring medical staff oversight of AI tools used in healthcare settings and moved to prohibit the independent practice of medicine by AI programs altogether. Delegates also took aim at insurers using AI to adjudicate prior authorizations, pushing for real accountability.


Prior Authorization and Physician Accountability

That accountability push extends further. Physicians who conduct prior authorization reviews for insurers will now be pressed to disclose their name, specialty, and National Provider Identifier, and to hold the same state licensure as the physicians whose care they're reviewing. The AMA also moved to eliminate the term "provider" when referring to physicians, aiming to reduce confusion for patients trying to understand who is actually treating them.


Physician Autonomy and Practice Control

Physician autonomy over how practices operate was a major theme. New policy affirms that physicians have the right to decline or modify patient volume expectations and staffing conditions when those conditions compromise patient care, outside of true emergencies. The AMA will also advocate for legislation ensuring that scheduling protocols, workload standards, and staffing models are driven by local physicians based on clinical need, not productivity targets. A related resolution pushed back on hospital and health system consolidation trends, opposing the use of dividend recapitalization by private equity and non-physician entities looking to recoup acquisition costs from physician practices.


Payment and Administrative Burden

The House adopted several resolutions physicians will feel directly. These include support for repealing the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, opposition to fees on electronic funds transfers, opposition to virtual credit cards as a legal HIPAA payment method, and a shift toward requiring patients to opt in to medication refill requests rather than being auto-enrolled. Delegates also passed policy opposing insurer denials based solely on which clinician made the referral, and pushed for legislation letting small practices opt out of mandatory value-based payment models.


Medical Education and Rural Maternal Health

Medical education saw one significant Arizona-relevant resolution addressing maternal health access in rural areas. The resolution supports expanding both OB-GYN training in shortage areas and family practice obstetric care where practitioners are properly trained and privileged, along with increased funding for physicians who provide care in designated Maternity Care Target Areas. Given the shortage of obstetric care in Arizona's rural communities, this is a meaningful first step.


Public Health, Nutrition, and Environmental Policy

Public health and preventive medicine made up the largest volume of adopted policy this year, covering more than 45 reports and resolutions. Highlights include expanded coverage for lung cancer and colorectal screening, continued support for HIV prevention and post-exposure prophylaxis, restoration of evidence-based COVID-19 vaccination guidance for pregnant patients and children, and a strong stance against raw milk consumption. The AMA also expanded its focus on nutrition, backing reform of federal agricultural subsidies, medically tailored meal programs, and reduced harmful food additives. Environmental health picked up new attention too, with policy addressing wildfire toxic exposure, aviation pollution, and physician education on the health effects of climate change.


Immigration Enforcement and Political Advocacy

A few resolutions touched on politically sensitive ground. Delegates adopted policy supporting physicians' ability to attend conferences, complete training, or provide care without interference from immigration enforcement, except where a valid judicial order applies. A related resolution called for AMA study of how current legislation affects healthcare access for undocumented individuals. And in a notable moment, delegates made clear they want the AMA to take a firmer stance with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., particularly as changes to the vaccine schedule and Medicaid funding cuts continue to draw concern from physicians nationally.


Leadership Election

Delegates also elected Dr. Sandra Fryhofer as AMA President-elect, signaling that many physicians want the organization to prioritize public health integrity and patient access over purely financial considerations in the current political environment.


Section Meetings

Beyond the House floor, ArMA's own Dr. Jasser led the Private Physicians Section meeting, which covered ERISA preemption and revenue cycle management strategies for independent practices. The Organization of State Medical Association Presidents also met, with a notable session on physician collective bargaining, a trend that continues to grow even as it remains legally distinct from striking.


Why This Matters for Arizona Physicians

What all of this makes clear is that the issues Arizona physicians deal with every day, from prior authorization delays to staffing pressure to the growing role of AI in clinical decisions, are the same issues being shaped at the national level through the AMA House of Delegates. ArMA's delegation doesn't just attend these meetings. It's how Arizona physicians get a seat at the table and a real vote on the policies that will affect how they practice for years to come. Without that representation, decisions get made without Arizona's input.


If you want your voice included in that process, the most direct way to do it is to be an ArMA member. Membership is what funds and empowers this delegation to advocate on your behalf in Chicago and beyond.


If you aren't already an ArMA member, please consider joining our organization. You can learn more about membership and the benefits it grants you access to on our webpage here.

UnitedHealthcare Shortens List of Conditions Requiring Prior Authorization

By Admin User • September 4, 2026
UnitedHealthcare announced it will cut back on the number of services requiring prior authorization by 30% beginning October 1, 2026. The major health insurance company first stated its intent to streamline prior authorization requirements earlier this year. Physician Specialties Impacted Physicians across multiple specialties can expect a decline in the amount of prior authorization paperwork required by the insurer later this year — according to its latest statement — including specialists in cardiology, genetic and laboratory testing, chiropractic care, physical, occupational and speech therapy, orthopedic and musculoskeletal procedures, and others. Insurance Plans United's cutback of prior authorization requirements will primarily impact its: commercial insurance plans Medicare Advantage plans individual insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act The company's new rural prior authorization waiver program also aims to ease administrative requirements for strained hospitals and clinicians in underserved areas of the country and will begin on November 1, 2026. Why Now? United's announcement comes after years of public scrutiny from physicians, patients, and others, who report that arduous prior authorization processes and other administrative burdens are endangering patients and overwhelming the healthcare system. Notably, the company was among the coalition of health insurance organizations that vowed to "streamline, simplify, and reduce prior authorizations" during a news conference with federal government officials in 2025. The Arizona Medical Association remains an active leader of efforts to reform commercial medical insurance in the state. We will continue to monitor the development and outcomes of United's prior authorization requirement changes.

AG Mayes Declines Charges Against Governor Hobbs, Calls for Greater Contractor Transparency

By Admin User • September 3, 2026
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has declined to pursue criminal charges against Governor Katie Hobbs following a two-year investigation into allegations that Sunshine Residential Homes received a state rate increase in exchange for political contributions. What the Investigation Found Mayes said investigators reviewed more than 100,000 documents, along with campaign-finance records, state communications and other evidence, but found no evidence of the quid pro quo necessary to support a bribery charge. The investigation concluded that Sunshine's position as a major provider of foster-care beds, and the potential loss of hundreds of beds, played a significant role in the rate increase. Calls for Contractor Transparency Reforms While the investigation did not result in criminal charges, Mayes said the circumstances highlight weaknesses in Arizona's rules governing political contributions from state contractors. She is calling on both the governor and the Republican-controlled Legislature to work together on reforms that would increase transparency and public confidence around contractor donations. What's Next Other investigations into the matter remain ongoing, meaning the issue is not yet fully resolved.