December 5, 2024
Saying she got into politics to be “a voice for science and evidence-based policy,” newly elected U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison, MD, discussed her new role and the state of affairs in Washington, D.C., during an MMA forum on December 4. The forum was moderated by MMA Immediate Past President Laurel Ries, MD.
“I feel a real responsibility as a physician legislator to represent our profession well,” Morrison told the group of about 50 physicians. “And I want you all to know that my door will always be open. I want you to reach out to me and I hope to be able to call on many of you. There will be difficult challenges ahead and many of them could have significant impacts on our profession.”
The forum included a range of topics from Medicare and Medicaid payment rates to telehealth to universal coverage to some of President-Elect Trump’s choices for high-ranking healthcare policy positions.
Morrison will represent Minnesota’s Third Congressional District. She has served in the Minnesota Legislature since 2019, serving two terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate in 2022.
Most recently in the 2024 legislative session, Morrison authored legislation severely limiting the use of prior authorization. In her time in the Minnesota legislature, she has also championed other MMA priorities, including legislation providing coverage for telehealth services; ensuring access to reproductive healthcare; and supporting physician mental health and wellbeing, among many others.
Todd Askew, the AMA’s senior vice president of advocacy, began the forum with background on what physicians can expect during the lame duck session of Congress, and what the AMA expects from the new Congress, which begins January 3, 2025. The AMA and the MMA are working hard to stop the proposed 2.8% cut to Medicare physician payments and to continue the coverage of telehealth by Medicare. While the time is short, there is optimism that both issues will be addressed in the coming weeks.
Both Askew and Morrison encouraged those attending the forum to get active and call their legislators, both state and federal, whenever medical issues are being debated. Members of Congress especially must hear from their physicians that the Medicare cuts must be stopped. Morrison also urged any Minnesota physician considering getting into politics to reach out to her. She stressed the need for more physicians in elected office.
Click here to view a recording of the forum.
Editor's note: Earlier versions of this story reported that Kelly Morrison, MD, is the first Minnesota physician, and the first MMA member elected to Congress. The first Minnesota physician in Congress was actually Walter Judd, MD, who represented Minneapolis from 1943-1963 in the U.S. House of Representatives. We cannot confirm whether Judd was a member of the MMA during his tenure at the Mayo Clinic from 1931-1934. We regret the error.
May 29, 2025
As the Legislature works to complete its work on the state’s two-year budget, another deadline is looming. Legislators are required to pass a balanced budget before the end of the fiscal year—June 30, 2025. If they don’t meet that deadline, the state will begin a partial shutdown.
May 29, 2025
Registration has opened for the Empowering Physicians: A Night of Reflection and Engagement event, featuring best-selling author Elisabeth Rosenthal, MD.
May 29, 2025
The AMA is encouraging physicians to contact their U.S. senators and urge them to revise the reconciliation bill passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives. While the bill includes language that would stabilize Medicare physician payments, it also threatens to cripple Medicaid and CHIP.