Lots of news is coming from the state level: In New Mexico, ACC members have developed draft legislation establishing liability protection for physicians and nurses who respond to disasters. Other states will likely be added to this list later.

An Arizona bill proposes Appropriate Use Criteria and guidelines requirements for all medical services.

Arkansas lawmakers are following in the footsteps of their counterparts in Maryland with a bill that would ban self-referral.

In Kentucky, we’re hearing legislators may introduce a bill allowing PCI without surgical backup. A few of our Kentucky members feel the data from a pilot have not been sufficient to warrant the change.

Health care advocates in Pennsylvania successfully have blocked the proposed merger between Highmark and Independence Blue Cross. Opponents of the match argued that a merger could have serious anticompetitive effects and cause significant injury to physicians by lowering fees. This wouldn’t have happened without the AMA’s leadership. My old CMA General Counsel and colleague, Catherine Hanson, provided AMA’s legal background and arguments in this case — very impressive advocacy.