September 2001 • Volume 7 • Number 9
Title VII still threatened; ask Congress to vote for funds this month
Federal support for family practice training may be an endangered species. Forces are converging to wipe out the support provided under Section 747 of Title VII of the Public Health Service Act -- funding that has bolstered family practice training programs since 1972.
The U.S. Congress is slated to vote this month on health-related appropriations for 2002. So you still have time to ask your lawmakers to maintain the specialty's funding -- which has been about $50 million in 2001.
FUNDS BESIEGED
Threats to the federal support:
- The administration claims the nation has too many physicians, and that's why the president's proposed budget allots $0 for Section 747. However, many regions have shortages of primary care physicians, including FPs.
"If this misperception about too many primary care physicians is not addressed, Title VII funding for the specialty may never recover," says Kevin Burke, director of the AAFP Government Relations Division.- As the economy slows, the expected surplus is shrinking, so there's less money for discretionary programs such as Title VII.
- Similarly, recent tax cuts in effect limit discretionary spending.
- Finally, the proposed increase in defense spending may crowd out funding for Section 747, says Burke, unless legislators hear from their constituents that the funding matters to patients.
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN
- Go to http://www.aafp.org/family/ and, under "Section Highlights," click on "Title VII Campaign." You'll find, for example, talking points to use with legislators, a fact sheet, and state and national maps (developed by the Robert Graham Center) showing what would happen if the specialty lost federal support and there were no FPs to provide care.
- To e-mail your lawmakers, use http://capitol. aafp.org.
- Title VII press materials -- to help you make media contacts -- are available at http://www.aafp.org/members/titlevii/ (AAFP ID number required for access) and via fax (see "Quick Fax" below).
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2001 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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