top of page
Search

LACMA Delegates Help Shape Statewide Policy at CMA’s 155th House of Delegates

13 minutes ago
3 min read

The California Medical Association (CMA) convened its 155th annual House of Delegates (HOD) in Sacramento on Oct. 17–18, bringing physician leaders together to debate the issues facing medicine and help guide the association’s advocacy for patients and physicians.


LACMA staff joined more than 40 Los Angeles physicians at the annual meeting, ensuring that the experiences and priorities of the nation’s most populous and diverse county were represented throughout the policy-making process.


The weekend combined policy deliberations with leadership transitions, recognition of extraordinary service and a shared call to action. From protecting Medi-Cal funding and reforming Medicare physician payment to defending public health, supporting physician practices and developing future leaders, the discussions underscored the reach of organized medicine—and the responsibility physicians share to shape what comes next.


Delegates considered member-written resolutions on physician practice, patient access to care, medical education and public health. Internal governance reforms adopted in 2025 replaced the Major Issue process with a two-interval model, giving physicians and medical students a direct role in shaping policy throughout the year.


After reference committee hearings, delegates debated, amended and voted on policy recommendations. Several adopted policies carry particular significance for Los Angeles County, where physicians serve an extraordinarily diverse population and confront persistent challenges involving Medi-Cal reimbursement, pediatric access, affordability and health equity.


Highlights include:

  • Protecting physician peer support (Resolution 602-26): Supports voluntary, confidential physician and resident peer support programs.

  • Protecting resident workplace standards (Resolution 612-26): Opposes weakening resident workplace protections and supports evidence-based work-hour standards that balance education, patient safety and wellness.

  • Preserving pediatric care (Resolution 206-26): Supports improved Medi-Cal reimbursement and funding to sustain and expand pediatric inpatient and critical care services, along with study of regional access, bed availability and patient transfers.

  • Office of Health Care Affordability (Resolution 210-26): Supports excluding pharmacy costs from Office of Health Care Affordability spending-growth target calculations and related penalties, as well as from primary care and behavioral health benchmark denominators.

  • Strengthening medical debt protections (Resolution 203-26): Opposes federal preemption of state medical debt credit-reporting protections and supports a nationwide reporting ban, flexible payment options and lawful collection of legitimate patient obligations without credit reporting.

  • Advancing physician pay equity (Resolution 606-26): Supports increasing the collection and availability of aggregate physician compensation data, disclosure of formulas used to determine physician reimbursement, independent pay-equity audits, educational and negotiation resources and protections against retaliation for discussing wages.

  • Responding to immigration enforcement (Resolution 503-26): Supports guidance and institutional policies protecting patient and staff safety, confidentiality and continuity of care during immigration enforcement in health care settings—an especially important issue for Los Angeles County’s physicians and patients.

  • Recognizing the dangers of cannabis (Resolution 112-26): Recognizes the risks of cannabis use for adolescents, young adults, pregnant and breastfeeding persons and other vulnerable populations. Supports evidence-based potency limits, public education on health effects and oversight of funds for cannabis education, prevention, early intervention and treatment.

  • Addressing data center health impacts (Resolution 113-26): Supports a time-limited pause on approvals for new or expanded data centers of at least 50 megawatts pending health assessments, public reporting, enforceable standards and community input, without affecting existing facilities, health care services or electronic health records.


Celebrating LACMA Leadership at CMA

The meeting also marked an extraordinary moment for Los Angeles physician leadership. LACMA proudly congratulates Dr. Jack Chou on beginning his term as CMA’s 158th President and recognizes Dr. George Fouras and former LACMA member Dr. Anna Yap for their continuing leadership as Speaker and Vice Speaker of the House.


LACMA also congratulates Board Secretary Dr. Valencia Walker, who assumed leadership of the California Medical Association Political Action Committee (CALPAC) as its chairperson in October 2026.


Drs. Chou, Fouras, Yap and Walker bring exceptional experience, perspective and dedication to organized medicine. Their continued leadership ensures that voices shaped by the Los Angeles medical community will continue to influence statewide policy and advocacy on behalf of California’s physicians and patients.


LACMA thanks every member of our delegation who took time away from their practices and families to participate, share their expertise and represent Los Angeles County. We look forward to welcoming physician leaders from across California when the House of Delegates comes to Los Angeles in 2027.

For more information on these and other resolutions adopted at the 2026 House of Delegates, see the full action book.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page