Idaho Medical Association Annual Meeting & House of Delegates
October 13-15, 2023, Couer d' Alene


Become an ACMS Delegate 

Each year, the Idaho Medical Association House of Delegates (HOD) sets its advocacy agenda through resolutions and reports on activity during its annual meeting. As a delegate, you will help guide the future direction of your Idaho Medical Association's policy and legislative priorities. There will also be a medical education session that is still being qualified for credits and topics are yet to be finalized.

REGISTER HERE

ACMS Delegate Qualifications: 

  • Any "Active" physician member (by IMA By-laws definition) is allowed to serve as an ACMS delegate, assuming they are not already serving as a delegate of another medical association.
  • Those paying part-time, administrative, government, or educational dues rates may participate as a Delegate by paying the balance of a full-time Active member annual dues rate of $520/$210 (IMA/ACMS portions respectively.) Retired member physicians still maintaining an Idaho license and fellows at resident level dues rates may do the same in order to participate.
  • ACMS member medical residents, medical students, PAs, and NPs are not qualified to serve as delegates but may attend the meeting and even speak during the HOD session if invited by an Active delegate to do so. They may also provide written comments in advance of the HOD on all resolutions through the Idmed.org portal.
  • ACMS has an allotment of 109 physicians this year, which is 10% of our member count. Should the number of physicians registering as ACMS delegates exceed that, the ACMS board has decided to prioritize delegate allotment based on a) in-person attending delegates in order of date registered followed by b) virtual attending delegates in order of date registered.
  • Secondary society members of ACMS may not serve as ACMS delegates but can only serve for their "native" county society.

Virtual and In-Person Testimony Opportunities

This year, the IMA Board has decided that the Friday session of the House of Delegates may be attended either in-person or virtually via video conference. As the Reference Committees present resolutions, all Delegates (both virtual and in-person) will be able to testify, debate, provide comments, or propose amendments. Additionally, all IMA Members (including APPs, students and residents who cannot otherwise qualify as a Delegate), can provide written comments or proposed language changes in advance of the HOD in writing via the IMA's website.

Sunday House of Delegates - Only in Person

After the Reference Committees deliberate all testimony and comments Friday afternoon, they will present their recommendations back to the House via a written report, which they will present during the Sunday session. This session will not be broadcast and no virtual participation will be available. Only delegates attending in person may testify, deliberate, comment, propose amendments, and vote on resolutions during this portion of the House of Delegates.

ACMS Delegate Stipend Available

Registering to attend the Annual Meeting and HOD as a delegate is free for IMA physician members, however travel costs are a Delegate's responsibility. ACMS provides a stipend as a token of recognition of time spent out of the clinic for eligible delegates attending as "native" ACMS members. Due to our approved budget for stipends, they will be awarded as follows:

Stipend Policy

  • A $500 stipend will be provided to ACMS members who attend BOTH the Friday and Sunday House of Delegates Sessions in-personOur goal is to incentivize full involvement in the policy-making process. Remote viewing attendance link will not qualify you for attendance and stipend distribution.
    • Though this year's House of Delegates will provide an opportunity to attend virtually on Friday, there is no provision for virtual participation on Sunday. Thus, only in-person delegates are afforded the opportunity for the $500 stipend.
  • An additional $99 New Attendee Stipend will be provided to members who are attending in-person this year if 2023 OR 2022 is their first time attending the House of Delegates. However, to qualify for this additional amount, the delegate will have to attend a 30-45 minute HOD training session (webinar) in advance of the HOD. Our goal is to educate newer delegates on how the HOD process works, the role of the reference committee, talk about parliamentary procedure, how to make amendments properly, and answer other questions.
  • An additional $250 stipend will be provided to ACMS members who successfully serve on the reference committee at that House of Delegates. Limited slots for involvement on the reference committee are available and usually provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Please alert IMA staff of your desire to serve and to learn more about this opportunity. Our goal is to incentivize additional commitment to the policy-making process.
  • ACMS Board members who participate in the full House of Delegates sessions receive an additional $500 stipend. Our goal is to incentivize leadership service and engagement in the policy-making process.

Our stipend budget allows for a limited # of delegates to receive just the $500 stipend, plus whomever is eligible for the other bonuses above. Once we reach our budget limit, the stipend reimbursement will cap out on a first-registered, first-served basis. 

9/13/23 Status - Currently we have 37 registered ACMS delegates and have not yet exceeded our stipend budget. We have room for about 9 more delegates to receive a stipend.

If the stipend is a deciding factor for you, please check with the director where you fit into the order of current delegate registrations.

  • If fewer delegates attend, IMA Board of Trustees and other specialty society or medical educational delegates will be offered the opportunity to apply for a stipend, on a first-come, first-served basis. Our goal is to prioritize recognition of "lay-level" members' participation over other leadership delegates who typically have their travel expenses paid for in full.
  • All delegates are afforded the opportunity to redirect any or all of their stipend to the ACMS Foundation to support the Physician Vitality Program Fund and/or the Medical Student and Resident Emergency Fund, or not receive a stipend at all. Our goal is to highlight the opportunities the ACMS Foundation has for members to support it.
  • Any physicians receiving a stipend of $600 or more will be issued a 1099-NEC form next January as reportable income, unless travel receipts not otherwise already reimbursed by others are turned in with the stipend request form. Our goal is to prioritize compliance with federal and state laws.   

The Coeur d'Alene Resort: Room reservations in Sun Valley should be made as early as possible to ensure availability at the best rate. Online registration and information can be found on the IMA website at www.idmed.org.

ACMS will host a members-only breakfast at the meeting on Sunday. You can register for this when you register with the IMA to attend.

Can't Travel to Coeur d'Alene for the HOD?

IMA members will also be able to participate remotely in two ways this year:

1) The "Virtual Reference Committee" will allow all IMA Active members the chance to make comments once the first draft of the House of Delegates packet is released towards the beginning of September. 

2) IMA members will also be able to view and participate in the Friday HOD and IMA Annual Meeting Proceedings via videoconference. 

In order to do so, you must still register as a Delgate or as a non-Active physician IMA member to receive a viewing link. Please watch for IMA email bulletins throughout the summer for more information. 

Learn more about the House of Delegates Process Here

 

Resolutions and Reports

ACMS intends to bring the following resolution(s) as a sponsor to the 2023 House of Delegates:

  • Seek to add non-profit community-based camps under Idaho Statute 39-7702 to provide coverage under the Volunteer Healthcare Provider Immunity Act.
This year, the IMA Board has decided that the Friday session of the House of Delegates may be attended either in-person or virtually via video