Rep. Miller-Meeks, MD, receives outstanding government service award

WASHINGTON - The American Medical Association (AMA) presented U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), MD, with the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service. The award recognizes her work in Congress aimed at lowering prescription drug costs, preventing further Medicare cuts to protect patient access, easing burdensome prior authorization requirements that delay care, strengthening cancer treatment, and ensuring continuity of coverage for Medicaid patients.

"Dr. Miller-Meeks has dedicated her life to serving others-first in the U.S. Army, then as a physician caring for patients in Iowa, and now as a leader shaping national health policy in Washington," said AMA Board Chair David H. Aizuss, MD. "Her firsthand experience in medicine and public service gives her a deep understanding of the real-world challenges patients and physicians face every day. She is a strong advocate for seniors and working families and continues to advocate for a health system that prioritizes access, affordability, and high-quality care. It is an honor to present Rep. Miller-Meeks with the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service."

Rep. Miller-Meeks, an ophthalmologist, was inspired to pursue a career in medicine after suffering severe burns in a kitchen fire as a teenager. A physical therapist who helped her recover motivated her to become a physician so she could help others.

At age 18, she enlisted in the U.S. Army and served for 24 years as a private, nurse and physician before retiring from the Army Reserve in 2000 at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Prior to her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021, Rep. Miller-Meeks served in the Iowa state Senate and as director of the state Department of Public Health from 2010 to 2014. She serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including the Health Subcommittee, and on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, where she chairs the Health Subcommittee.

A first-generation college student, Rep. Miller-Meeks earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing, a Master of Science in education, and her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She was the first female president of the Iowa Medical Society and the first woman on the faculty of the University of Iowa's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.