AOA’s inaugural Physician Payment Policy fellows to study how medical services are valued and paid for in US healthcare

The American Osteopathic Association’s (AOA) fellows for its inaugural 2026-27 cohort of the Physician Payment Policy Fellowship will be working with policy professionals and physician payment experts to study how ICD and CPT codes are developed and to learn more about other processes within the country’s healthcare payment systems.

Seger Morris, DO, MBA, medical director at Molina Healthcare and president-elect of the American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF), and Jason Jackson, DO, neonatologist and associate medical director at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, were selected for their demonstrated commitment to serving the osteopathic medical profession and engaging in advocacy in support of their patients. The 18-month program is designed to provide osteopathic physicians with an understanding of healthcare payment policy to support advocacy efforts for patients and the osteopathic medical community.

Dr. Morris noted that several factors influenced his decision to apply to the fellowship.

“I believe failures in physician payment policy are the biggest drivers of physician burnout, fragmented patient care and eroding public trust in physicians,” Dr. Morris said.

He noted that a conversation nearly 10 years ago with the late David Hitzeman, DO, played an integral role in his decision to apply. Dr. Hitzeman was the AOA’s representative on the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC), a select group of physicians who help shape Medicare relative values.

Bridging the gap

“Dr. Hitzeman pointed out how important it was for our youth to be involved in payment policy work,” Dr. Morris said. “I hope to use this opportunity to help meet his request and bridge that gap—to personally apply these lessons while also inspiring our youth to have an impact through this aspect of healthcare. The fellowship is but one more way to learn what is important to my colleagues and serve as a voice for the osteopathic profession.”

Dr. Jackson said the program aligns with his professional advocacy goals.

“As a dedicated osteopathic physician advocate, this education is extremely valuable to allow me to come to the table with my state and federal policymakers, not only with stories about how healthcare policy affects my work and my patients, but also with a strong foundation of knowledge around payment policy to help create solutions and better advocate for the profession,” Dr. Jackson said. “I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who has an interest in physician advocacy and promoting policies that protect physician payment.”

Key topics

During the fellowship, Dr. Morris and Dr. Jackson will work with the AOA Public Policy team and the American Osteopathic Information Association (AOiA) to study the following areas:

• How the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes are developed
• How medical services are valued
• How medical services are paid for in the U.S. healthcare system
• CPT Editorial Panel processes
• Specialty Society RUC survey processes

The application cycle for the 2027-28 fellowship will open this fall. For more information, please visit the AOA website.