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Senator Grassley Honored by the American Academy of Family Physicians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, May 03, 2003

Contact:
Leslie Champlin
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237, Ext. 5224
lchampli@aafp.org

WASHINGTON — Senator Charles E, Grassley, (R-Iowa), was honored today by the American Academy of Family Physicians as the recipient of its National Leadership in Government Service Award.

The National Leadership Award was created to honor individuals who have made significant and meaningful contributions to improving the nation’s health care through programs, policies or research leadership.

Grassley is the second recipient of this award, which was established in 2000. He was selected because of his long-term support for family medicine issues, particularly those affecting family physicians in rural areas.

The National Leadership Award was presented to Senator Grassley at a breakfast meeting of family physicians from across the country who are in Washington to discuss health care issues with members of Congress.

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and the U.S. Senate in 1980, Grassley chairs the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over a broad range of health issues, including Medicare. He has taken the lead on remedying the geographic discrepancies in Medicare reimbursements between rural and nonrural physicians.

“Sen. Grassley’s ability to build consensus across the political spectrum has earned praise from Republican, Democrat and Independent lawmakers,” said AAFP President James C. Martin, M.D., in presenting the award.

"He consistently fights hard for fair treatment of family physicians and their patients, particularly in rural areas; for telehealth programs; and for equitable payment systems that make sure the patient comes before the insurance company or the HMO."

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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents more than 93,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Nearly one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 215 million office visits each year – nearly 48 million more than the next medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide the majority of care for America’s underserved and rural populations.

In the increasingly fragmented world of health care where many medical specialties limit their practice to a particular organ, disease, age or sex, family physicians are dedicated to treating the whole person across the full spectrum of ages. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the American Academy of Family Physicians and about the specialty of family medicine, please visit www.aafp.org.

For more information about the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care and downloadable multi-media on family medicine and health care, visit the AAFP Media Center.

For more information about health care, health conditions, and wellness, please visit familydoctor.org.