Federal News & Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 17, 2021 – APA hails today’s Supreme Court ruling in California v. Texas that will keep the Affordable Care Act (ACA) intact. Today’s decision means millions of Americans will continue to receive vital mental health benefits as guaranteed by the ACA. As the physician experts and leaders in psychiatric treatment, we know there can be no health care without mental health care.  

APA has been supportive of the ACA and opposed the repeated efforts to dismantle the law. In November 2020, APA signed on to an amicus brief to the Supreme Court with several other medical organizations that detailed the harm that a decision to...

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 8, 2021 – Patients deserve a clear understanding of the roles played by all those who partner in their care, as they already experience difficulty in identifying who is or is not a physician. It is important to provide transparency and clarity, not create more confusion, and put their safety at risk.

The AAPA’s decision to rebrand their profession by changing the title of physician assistant (PA) to physician associate does not accurately convey PA responsibilities under the critical guidance of a physician-led team. In the name of medical care transparency, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) strongly opposes this name change as it will exacerbate the challenges patients already face when discerning the qualifications of those who are both providing and leading their care.

American Psychiatric...