Thousands of Family Doctors Rally at U.S. Capitol;
Urge the Next Congress to be the “Health Care Congress”
Report Calls For 39% Increase in Family Physicians
Voters: Health Care as Important as Action on Iraq and Terrorism
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 28, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With a new report warning of too few family doctors to meet the future primary care needs of patients in every state, thousands of physicians gathered on Capitol Hill today to urge candidates for federal office to explain how they would improve the nation’s troubled health care system.
More than 2,000 family physicians and others attended the Vote for America’s Health Rally, calling for the next Congress to be the “Health Care Congress.” A poll released at today’s Rally shows that Americans share the physicians’ concerns. Conducted jointly by Republican pollster Bill McInturff (Public Opinion Strategies) and Democratic pollster Celinda Lake (Lake Research Partners), the poll shows that voters view health care issues as being equally as important as action on Iraq and terrorism.
“Americans are worried about the health care system and want action. For too long, our leaders have spent more time discussing the problems with America’s health care system than they spent working on solutions,” said Larry S. Fields, M.D., president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). “We need a Congress that finally fixes our troubled health care system, and we can’t wait any longer. As America’s population ages and chronic disease increases, we face a serious shortfall in the number of family doctors needed in every state. Already, one in four U.S. counties is designated a primary care shortage area.”
AAFP is releasing a Guide to Health Issues for Voters, which provides nonpartisan information on some of today’s most pressing health care issues – including guaranteeing Americans have health insurance, keeping good doctors in practice and providing care for an increasing number of older Americans.
A copy of the Guide to Health Issues for Voters is available at familydoctor.org.
More than 2,000 family physicians and others attended the Vote for America’s Health Rally, calling for the next Congress to be the “Health Care Congress.” A poll released at today’s Rally shows that Americans share the physicians’ concerns. Conducted jointly by Republican pollster Bill McInturff (Public Opinion Strategies) and Democratic pollster Celinda Lake (Lake Research Partners), the poll shows that voters view health care issues as being equally as important as action on Iraq and terrorism.
“Americans are worried about the health care system and want action. For too long, our leaders have spent more time discussing the problems with America’s health care system than they spent working on solutions,” said Larry S. Fields, M.D., president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). “We need a Congress that finally fixes our troubled health care system, and we can’t wait any longer. As America’s population ages and chronic disease increases, we face a serious shortfall in the number of family doctors needed in every state. Already, one in four U.S. counties is designated a primary care shortage area.”
AAFP is releasing a Guide to Health Issues for Voters, which provides nonpartisan information on some of today’s most pressing health care issues – including guaranteeing Americans have health insurance, keeping good doctors in practice and providing care for an increasing number of older Americans.
A copy of the Guide to Health Issues for Voters is available at familydoctor.org.
Work Force Study
According to a report released today by the AAFP, the number of family physicians must increase by 39 percent by 2020 in order to meet America’s growing health care needs. The report, titled “Family Physician Workforce Reform: Recommendations of the American Academy of Family Physicians,” shows that as the population increases and ages, more family doctors will be needed in every state in the nation, with some states needing to increase numbers of family doctors by 70 percent or more.
Researchers from the University of Utah School of Medicine and the Utah Medical Education Council analyzed current needs for primary care services in each state and projected future needs based on expected growth in each state’s population, the age of state residents, the age of current primary care providers in the state, and other factors.
States needing the greatest percentage increase in family physicians by 2020 include Nevada (need 79% increase), Arizona (76%), Florida (63%), Texas (52%) and Idaho (51%).
Even states that fare best still need more family doctors. States needing the smallest increase in family physicians to meet future primary care needs include West Virginia (need 23% increase), North Dakota (24%), Iowa (25%), New York (25%) and Ohio (25%). Only the District of Columbia appears to be comfortably positioned for 2020, needing to increase the number of family doctors by only five percent.
“There is a growing need for more family physicians to provide primary care in communities across the nation, but without health reforms, it will be impossible to accomplish,” said Rick Kellerman, M.D., AAFP’s president-elect. “Lower payments combined with higher liability insurance costs mean more and more family physicians are being forced to limit services or retire early, which contributes to the shortage in primary care providers. This is happening at a time when Congress is cutting family physician training programs. Family physicians treat multiple generations of the same family, but the health care environment is making it harder to continue to practice community-based family medicine.”
Researchers from the University of Utah School of Medicine and the Utah Medical Education Council analyzed current needs for primary care services in each state and projected future needs based on expected growth in each state’s population, the age of state residents, the age of current primary care providers in the state, and other factors.
States needing the greatest percentage increase in family physicians by 2020 include Nevada (need 79% increase), Arizona (76%), Florida (63%), Texas (52%) and Idaho (51%).
Even states that fare best still need more family doctors. States needing the smallest increase in family physicians to meet future primary care needs include West Virginia (need 23% increase), North Dakota (24%), Iowa (25%), New York (25%) and Ohio (25%). Only the District of Columbia appears to be comfortably positioned for 2020, needing to increase the number of family doctors by only five percent.
“There is a growing need for more family physicians to provide primary care in communities across the nation, but without health reforms, it will be impossible to accomplish,” said Rick Kellerman, M.D., AAFP’s president-elect. “Lower payments combined with higher liability insurance costs mean more and more family physicians are being forced to limit services or retire early, which contributes to the shortage in primary care providers. This is happening at a time when Congress is cutting family physician training programs. Family physicians treat multiple generations of the same family, but the health care environment is making it harder to continue to practice community-based family medicine.”
Voter Poll
The public opinion poll released at today’s Rally shows that health care issues top Americans’ lists of national priorities. When asked to rank health care in importance against other current issues, voters rated health care as a top priority for Congress and the President – equally as important as Iraq and terrorism – and second only to the economy.
The poll of likely voters shows one-third of respondents (32%) saying that the U.S. health care system is not meeting the needs of themselves and their families. Two-thirds (68%) of those surveyed say the current system is failing to meet the needs of most Americans. Additional poll findings include:
The poll of likely voters shows one-third of respondents (32%) saying that the U.S. health care system is not meeting the needs of themselves and their families. Two-thirds (68%) of those surveyed say the current system is failing to meet the needs of most Americans. Additional poll findings include:
- Nine out of 10 respondents (90%) say the next Congress must address the changes needed in the health care system in the next two to four years; two-thirds (67%) say they will be upset if Congress does not.
- Ninety-five percent of voters say that some level of reform is needed for the country’s health care system. Nearly six in 10 (57%) say a “great deal” of reform is required.
“Every day, we hear candidates for public office talk about the situation in Iraq or threats to our national security. Those are important discussions, but the number one concern of voters – health care – is being largely ignored,” said Dr. Fields. “Candidates for public office owe it to the American people to tell us how they would fix our health care system before it is too late, and voters owe it to themselves to question the candidates.”
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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 105,900 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.
Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 240 million office visits each year — nearly 87 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.
To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer Web site, www.FamilyDoctor.org.
