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AAFP members, leaders lobby Congress for change

Family physicians aren't strangers to their senators and representatives. Perhaps that's why legislators often listen to their FPs.

Family physicians convinced Rep. Bill Archer, R-TX, and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-TX, that clinical laboratory regulations impeded patient care. The two lawmakers introduced bills that would exempt most physician office labs from stringent federal regulations. Family physicians from around the country contacted their legislators to rally support for the legislation.

The House bill won passage last year; the Senate bill got snared in budget negotiations and did not survive. However, the bills are expected to be reintroduced this year and may pass.

Lobbying goals for Academy leaders and members this year focus on protecting and enhancing the primary care infrastructure. Besides working to change regulations (such as lab regulations) that hamper family practice, the AAFP is addressing issues such as:

• covering the uninsured, starting with children and pregnant mothers;
• expanding federal funding for family practice education and primary care research;
• realigning support for graduate medical education, to boost primary care training;
• seeking a $250,000 limit on payments for noneconomic damages in malpractice suits;
• promoting antitrust relief to allow provider-sponsored organizations and physician service networks to develop; and
• reforming the Medicare fee structure through such means as a single conversion factor, elimination of geographic payment differentials, and speedy implementation of values for practice expenses such as overhead and equipment.

• FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.