Page 6 - 2020 Annual Reports Book updated1
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AMERICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGISTS
                                      Annual Business Meeting Minutes
                                          July 4, 2019 – Chicago Hilton


               Jeannie Hobson, RMA, RPT, AHI, President, called the AMT Annual Reports and Town Hall Session to
               order at 9:20am.

               Judiciary Committee & Bylaws Committee Reports – Kimberly Cheuvront, PhD, MT, Judiciary Councillor,
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               summarized the Judiciary Committee report found on pages 44-59.  She encouraged members to review
               the report for detail of actions taken over the year. The committee has been very busy with four (4)
               members’ certifications and membership privileges indefinitely revoked for serious violations of the
               AMT Standards of Practice.  Kim reviewed approved revisions the Board of Directors made to the AMT
               Member Disciplinary Process at its July 2018 meeting. Among other technical changes, the revisions
               reduced the standard response time for members who are accused of actions that violate the Standard
               Scope of Practice from 60 days to 30 days. She noted that while employers are not prohibited from
               discriminating in hiring or employment practices based on voluntary certification or level of educational
               attainment, in such incidents the AMT staff seeks to educate employers in regard to the value of AMT
               certification in an effort to have them treated equitably. State interventions – Texas had been unable to
               gain access to materials held by a past board member, a letter from the Judiciary Councillor was sent on
               July 23, 2018 and the materials were returned on July 25, 2018.  Arizona held an online election using
               Survey Monkey however, the link didn’t appear to have any mechanism to verify whether those who
               voted were members in good standing residing in AZ or that members only voted once.  The society will
               look to amend settings within Survey Monkey (or any other program) prior to utilizing online balloting in
               the future to ensure proper voting protocol. Ohio required assistance with removing a board member
               and declaring a position vacant due to the member’s absenteeism. The Judiciary Councillor also worked
               with the Government Affairs Committee on Federal legislative and regulatory affairs along with State
               legislative issues.

               Dr. Cheuvront presented the Bylaw Committee Report located on pages 60-63. Proposed amendments
               were related to the addition of MDT credential – Molecular Diagnostics Technician as well as the
               decision to grant delegate eligibility to the AHI – Allied Health Instructor and CLC – Clinical Laboratory
               Consultant membership classes.

               Government Affairs Committee – Bob Newberry reviewed his report on pages 66-73. He outlined the
               lab community’s ongoing efforts to obtain legislative relief from CMS’s flawed methodology to set
               ‘market pricing’ for the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) under the Protecting Access to
               Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA).  He reported that AMT had 10 representatives at Legislative Day in
               Washington this year and thanked those that were able to attend and meet with their congressional
               representatives. Bob reviewed the proposed changes to CLIA proficiency testing requirements and hikes
               in CLIA fees.  He reviewed state law developments in Tennessee, California, and Connecticut.  Bob
               reviewed a recent surge (over the past 2 years) in Occupational Regulation Reform Bills, these bills are
               aimed at removing unreasonable and unnecessary barriers to an individual’s right to pursue an
               occupation of his or her choosing. Such bills have been enacted in Missouri and Ohio. In 2019, Alabama,

               1  References to page numbers in these Minutes are to the 2019 Annual Meeting Agenda Materials
               booklet supplied to all convention registrants.


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