Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, President of the American Medical Association and practicing ENT surgeon in Flint, Michigan, joins Value Health Voices to discuss the critical challenges facing American healthcare from both the physician and patient perspective.

As a solo practice physician treating cancer patients while leading the nation's largest physician organization, Dr. Mukkamala provides unique insights into the policy battles affecting healthcare delivery. The conversation covers prior authorization barriers that delay cancer care, the Medicare payment crisis with 25 years of declining physician reimbursement, and the collapse of independent medical practices due to site neutrality issues.

Dr. Mukkamala also addresses Medicare Advantage's aggressive denial tactics, the physician workforce shortage, and dangerous trends toward independent nurse practitioner practice without physician oversight. The discussion includes the AMA's role in CPT coding and RUC valuation, as well as Dr. Mukkamala's personal cancer journey and its impact on his advocacy for NIH research funding.

This episode reveals how physician advocacy organizations fight for both healthcare providers and patients as the system faces mounting pressures. Dr. Mukkamala's dual perspective as practicing physician and cancer patient offers invaluable insights into what's really happening in American healthcare.

About the Guest: Dr. Bobby Mukkamala is President of the American Medical Association, a practicing otolaryngologist in Flint, Michigan, and graduate of University of Michigan Medical School. He previously served on the AMA Council on Science and Public Health while maintaining his solo practice.

Value Health Voices makes healthcare policy and finance accessible through engaging discussions with industry leaders, policymakers, and practitioners working to transform care delivery.