06/09/2026
The 2026 AMA Annual Meeting is underway in Chicago, where the NCMS delegation joins colleagues from across the country to help shape policy and discuss issues that directly impact patient care.
The NCMS Delegation is comprised of Rebecca Hayes, MD, Chair; Arthur Apolinario, MD; Mary Ann Contogiannis, MD; Justin Hurie, MD; Karen Smith, MD; and Royce Syracuse, MD. Alternate delegates include Carl Westcott, MD; Eileen Raynor, MD; and Ronnie Laney, MD. The delegation is actively collaborating with Hans Arora, MD; Kavita Shah Arora, MD; Al Osbahr, MD; Asha McClurg, MD; Aatif Husain, MD; Sam Fleischman, MD; and other North Carolina members of the AMA House of Delegates to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to key issues.
We’re especially proud to see Delegate Mary Ann Contogiannis, MD, author a resolution addressing the role of peptides in therapy and the need for the AMA to proactively engage on this rapidly evolving issue. Delegate Arthur Apolinario, MD, also provided testimony to protect the confidentiality of mental health records, helping encourage individuals to seek needed care and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health treatment for health care professionals and others.
Thank you to our NCMS Delegation and other North Carolina members of the AMA House of Delegates for representing our state and ensuring physicians have a strong voice in the policies that shape healthcare.
