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AMA sets new policy opposing specialty-hospital moratorium

Ambulatory Surgery Reimbursement Update, December 14, 2004

Last week's semi-annual policy-making meeting of the American Medical Association resulted in an official stance by the organization on the existing moratorium on specialty hospitals.

According to the U.S. Newswire, the AMA's House of Delegates approved a policy that "supports and encourages competition between health care facilities as a means of promoting the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective healthcare."

In addition, the AMA went on the record as opposing any efforts by special interest hospital or legislative groups to try and extend the 18-month moratorium on physician referrals to specialty hospitals that was set forth as part of the new Medicare bill.

Only time will tell how the AMA's stand on the subject will affect their professional relationship with their longtime ally, the American Hospital Association. In the ongoing dispute between physicians seeking alternative venues as employees and owners of specialty hospitals, and hospitals who fear that specialties will take away their most affluent patient base, the AHA stands clearly on the side of hospitals, and is preparing to launch an extensive lobbying effort in favor of extending the moratorium past June of 2005.

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