AAFP In the News

The AAFP frequently is contacted to provide information for articles in the consumer and trade press. The following is a sampling of such mentions for the past six months.

5/14/12 -- InMotion
"Dr. Jeff Cain: Advocate for All" (free registration required)

5/14/12 -- amednews.com
"Medicare’s New Approach to Familiar Diseases"

5/11/12 -- Forbes
"Should Pharmacists Prescribe Prescription Medications?"

5/10/12 -- FierceHealth Finance
"Providers Praise Proposed SGR Repeal, Fee-for-Service Phase Out"

5/10/12 -- Healthcare Finance News
"HHS to Provide $11B to Help States Raise Primary Care Medicaid Reimbursements"

5/10/12 -- Healthcare Payer News
"Medicaid Primary Care Reimbursement to Get $11B Boost From Feds"

5/10/12 -- HealthLeaders Media
"Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Hike Proposed"

5/9/12 - Family Practice News
"Feds Set to Boost Primary Care Medicaid Payments for 2 Years"

5/9/12 - MedPage Today
"Medicaid Pay Going Up for Primary Care"

4/30/12 -- amednews.com
"Many Young Doctors Worried About Future of Medicine"

4/30/12 -- amednews.com
"Physicians Fight 'Unworkable' Medicare Overpayment Rule"

4/30/12 -- amednews.com
"Prices for Doctor Services Lag Behind Inflation"

4/28/12 -- Forbes
"'Primary Care Spring' Unleashed by IBM"

4/25/12 -- FoxNews.com
"Why Does My Eye Twitch? And Other Questions About the Body Odd"

4/25/12 -- Healthcare IT News
"Hawaii Practices Retool for Patient-centered Model"

4/25/12 -- Philly.com
"The Right Way to Fix Medicare"

4/25/12 -- US News and World Reports
"Health Tip: When Seniors Are Malnourished"

4/24/12 -- AL.com
"Birmingham First City Chosen for Comprehensive Diabetes Treatment Program"

4/23/12 -- amednew.com
"Health System Changes Inspire More Med Students to Pursue Dual Degrees"

4/23/12 -- USA Today
"Virtual Doctors Visits Catch on With Insurers, Employers"

4/22/12 -- USA Today
"Some Physicians Offer Service Based on Monthly Retainers"

4/20/12 -- Huffington Post
"Warren Buffett Cancer Treatment Shows Challenges In Health Care Cost-Cutting"

4/19/12 -- Forbes
"Solving Healthcare Requires Primary Care Renaissance"

4/19/12 -- Kansas City Star
"Five Tests That Doctors Say Are Overused"

4/9/12 -- amednews.com
"Doctors Urge Lawmakers to Fund Health Programs in 2013"

4/4/12 -- Boston.com
"Many Common Procedures Unneeded, Say Doctors Groups"

4/4/12 -- Forbes
"Medical Societies Release Lists of Overused Tests and Procedures"

4/4/12 -- Healthcare Payer News
"Physician Groups Identify 45 Common and Often Unnecessary Services"

4/4/12 -- Healthday News
"Physician Groups Call for Fewer Medical Tests"

4/4/12 -- Huffington Post
"Health Care Spending On Unnecessary Tests Discouraged By Major Medical Groups"

4/4/12 -- PBS Newshour
"Medical Groups Call on Doctors to 'Choose Wisely,' Perform Fewer Tests"

4/3/12 -- Fox Business
"Cutting Out Insurance: Monthly Memberships for Health Care"

3/30/12 -- The New York Times
"Sense of Peril for Health Law Gives Insurers Pause"

3/29/12 -- USA Today
"In Age of Gadgets, Doctors Try to Keep Human Touch"

3/25/12 -- Amarillo Globe News
"Telemedicine Comes to Amarillo VA"

3/25/12 -- ModernMedicine
"Unraveling Meaningful Use Stage 2"

3/22/12 -- Doctor's Lounge
"Medicaid Expansion Is a Key Part of Affordable Care Act"

3/22/12 -- HealthDay
"Supreme Court Prepares to Tackle Affordable Care Act"

3/21/12 -- Family Medicine Rocks
"AAFP President on FamMedRocks Podcast"

3/21/12 -- Medscape
"Team Approach Gives Primary Care Needed Boost" (Requires free registration)

3/21/12 -- ModernMedicine
"Primary Care Growth Flat in Latest Match Day"

3/19/12 -- amednews.com
"Hospital Report Cards Fall Flat at Improving Patient Outcomes"

3/19/12 -- The Wall Street Journal
"Just a Spoonful of Cinnamon Makes the Internet Rounds"

3/16/12 -- Family Practice News
"Match Day: Interest in Primary Care Holds Steady"

3/14/12 -- Healthcare Finance News
"AAFP Stays in the RUC"

3/12/12 -- Health.com
"Health Insurance Premiums Will Surpass Median Household Income in 2033: Study"

3/6/12 -- Bankrate.com
"Health Care Law Takes Aim at Unequal Access"

3/5/12 -- Healthcare IT News
"Q&A With AAFP's Steven Waldren on Meaningful Use"

3/5/12 -- Healthcare Finance News
"Medicare Audit Program Widens Net"

3/5/12 -- Healthcare Finance News
"WellPoint's New Payment Model Increases Physicians' Pay"

3/2/12 -- Government Health IT
"Q&A: AAFP's Waldren Says Docs More Confident About Meaningful Use"

3/2/12 -- The Huffington Post
"Health Care Costs And How You Could Be Overspending"

3/1/12 -- BloombergTV
"Obama Hospital Cuts Seen Worsening Primary Care Shortage"

2/29/12 -- Forbes
"Do No Harm: Keeping Doctors on the Road to Recovery"

2/28/12 -- amednews.com
"NHSC Provides $9 Million for Medical Students to Go Into Primary Care"

2/27/12 -- Healthcare Finance News
"Fight to Repeal the SGR Continues"

2/16/12 -- Concord Monitor
"The Problem With Primary Care"

2/15/12 -- ModernMedicine
"Family Physicians Dominate Rural Areas"

2/13/12 -- amednews.com
"Doctors Zero in on Benefit Gaps Allowed Under Health Reform"

2/13/12 -- amednews.com
"RUC Adds 2 Seats for Primary Care"

2/13/12 -- amednews.com
"Strike a Balance as a Boss"

2/13/12 -- FierceHealthcare
"Med Schools Lure Students to Primary Care, Combat Shortage"

2/11/12 -- Washington Post
"The Health Reform Law's Biggest Threat: 30,000 Too Few Doctors"

2/10/12 -- Charlotte Observer
"Too Many Tests?"

2/10/12 -- Medscape
"Cash-Only Practices: Doctors Are Rethinking Their Objections" (Requires free registration)

2/10/12 -- Medscape
"'Let's Move!' Aids Physicians in Childhood Obesity Prevention" (Requires free registration)

2/9/12 -- Chicago Tribune
"Fighting the Black and Blues"

2/8/12 -- SearchHealthIT
"Connectivity Docs Will Need for Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative" (Requires free registration)

2/7/12 -- CNNMoney
"Get More From a Second Doctor's Opinion"

2/6/12 -- amednews.com
"The Limits of Treating Loved Ones"

2/6/12 -- amednews.com
"Medicare PQRS: Quality Reporting or Else"

2/2/12 -- HealthLeadersMedia
"Primary Care Docs Weigh Advantages of PCMH"

2/2/12 -- Healthcare Finance News
"RUC Adds Two New Members"

2/2/12 -- Fox Business
"New Federal Programs Aim to Improve Health Care"

1/31/12 -- ABC2News
"Are House Calls a Thing of the Past?"

1/30/12 -- Family Practice News
"Medicare Demos Fall Short on Savings"

1/27/12 -- The Wall Street Journal
"An Rx? Pay More to Family Doctors"

1/25/12 -- Medical Economics
"AAFP Foundation Provides Funding for Free Clinics"

1/25/12 -- USA Today
"Put Health Screenings on This Year's Schedule"

1/23/12 -- USA Today
"Too Many Tests? Routine Checks Getting Second Look"
Also in CNBC, Associated Press, Huffington Post, Washington Post, New York Times

1/20/12 -- KTRK-TV
"More Patients Getting Second Medical Opinion Online"

1/18/12 -- ModernMedicine
"Medical Homes Boost Morale but Don't Help Burnout"

1/16/12 -- amednews.com
"Insured Americans Have Healthier Lifestyles Than Uninsured"
Article covers data from a Gallup Poll that indicates people with health insurance are less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet than those without insurance. Article quotes AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., who notes that being uninsured tends to lead to poor health, and a substantial amount of illness and disease is associated with being uninsured.

1/13/12 -- Huffington Post
"Common Men's Health Problems: 10 Symptoms That Shouldn't Be Ignored"
Article discusses several health conditions that could be an indication of a more serious problem for male patients and quotes research from an AAFP survey that indicates 38 percent of men go to the doctor only when they are extremely sick or when symptoms don't go away on their own

1/9/12 -- amednews.com
"Larger Role Sought for Advanced Practice Nurses"
Article discusses a recommendation from the National Institute for Health Care Reform, which believes expanding the scope of practice for advanced practice nurses can help solve the shortage of primary care professionals. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., disagrees, saying in the article that there is no evidence that expanding APNs' scope of practice would help reduce gaps in care. Even in states where APNs can practice independently, many choose to work collaboratively with physicians. APNs also tend to cluster in urban areas, just as physicians do, he said.

1/9/12 -- Business Insider
"5 Reforms That Will Dramatically Change Your Health Care in 2012"
Article supplies information on some aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act scheduled to take effect in 2012. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., provides information from the physician perspective.

1/9/12 -- Yahoo! Shine
"4 Ways to Fight a Cold Sore"
Patient information article provides information from AAFP Board member Laura Knobel, M.D., regarding treatment for cold sores.

1/5/12 - Forbes
"Secrets of the ACA: What is a Medical Care Home?"
Article explains the basic model of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and includes a link to the AAFP's PCMH house model.

1/4/12 -- JournalTimes.com
"The Real Truth About Those Kitschy Health Sayings"
Article features AAFP President-elect Jeffrey Cain, M.D., discussing folk remedies and which have a basis in fact.

12/19/11 -- Los Angeles Times
"Health 411: Medical Group Imposes Fee for Administrative Costs"
Article addresses a question on what is behind administrative fees now being charged by some physician practices. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., lists several reasons for these charges, including "the bad economy, a downward trend in physician reimbursement and a growing list of administrative tasks heaped onto physician practices by insurance companies."

12/14/11 -- Chicago Tribune
"The Real Truth About Those Kitschy Sayings"
Article features AAFP President-elect Jeffrey Cain, M.D., discussing folk remedies and which have a basis in fact.

12/14/11 -- Healthcare Finance News
"Reality Check: SGR Cut Really May Happen"
Article discusses the difficulty of fixing the sustainable growth rate formula and the cut just may happen at the end of December. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., is quoted saying, "Doctors are sort of numb from this. It’s concerning because I think there’s a very serious chance that this cut could go into place and yet many practicing physicians have heard this years and years in a row and it always seems to get averted at the last minute. I think that they may not understand the gravity of the situation this time.”

12/12/11 -- amednews.com
"Proposal on Access to Lab Tests Should be Revised, Doctors Say"
Article discusses physician concerns about proposed rules that would allow laboratories to send test results directly to patients upon request. The proposed regulation could lead to patient confusion and undermine the relationship with the physician, said AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I.

12/11/12 -- Kaiser Health News
"Do No Harm -- And Keep An Eye On Costs"
Article covers the American College of Physicians' release of an updated ethics manual that calls on physicians to provide "parsimonious care." AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., provides his viewpoint to the updated guidelines, saying "I do believe that physicians have an ethical responsibility to be good stewards of what are always going to be, in one way or another, limited medical resources."

12/7/11 -- Fox Business
"Employers Help to Combat the Increasing Shortage of PCPs"
Article discusses problems behind the increasing shortage of primary care providers and family physicians. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., discusses some of the inequities in a system that is based on fee for service.

12/7/11 -- USA Today
"Crowded ERs Help Urgent Care Sites Thrive"
Article explores what is behind the surge in urgent care centers. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., points out that urgent care centers can lead to patients not having a regular physician. "One of the best predictors of health outcomes is having a usual source of care where you can go for acute and chronic illnesses and develop a relationship with a doctor," says Stream.

12/5/11 -- MarketWatch
"Californians for Patient Care Calls for Mandatory Flu Vaccine for All Healthcare Workers"
Article is about statement from Californians for Patient Care calling for mandatory flu vaccines for all health care providers. Statement notes that the AAFP also supports mandatory flu vaccinations for health care personnel. (Story also found on the Yahoo! Finance website.)

12/2/11 -- Healthcare IT News
"Collaborative Effort Launched to Facilitate Doctors Helping Doctors Transform Healthcare: First Area of Focus is Health IT"
Article discusses the launch of the Doctors Helping Doctors Transform Health Care social media collaborative. The AAFP is serving in an advisory role to the nonprofit collaborative, which is initially focusing on members sharing their experiences and insights via videos, audio, and blog posts about why they decided to adopt health information technology.

12/2/11 -- The Huffington Post
"How Safe Is Your Child Around Dogs?"
Article about dog safety cites information from the AAFP about fatal dog bites.

12/2/11 -- International Business Times
"Family Medicine: Even as Demand Grows, Fewer Enter the Field"
Article discusses the reasons behind the shortage of family physicians in the United States. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., offers some possible solutions to the problem.

12/1/11 -- HealthCanal.com
"Leading Health Care Organizations Issue Recommendations for Quality Patient Care in Labor and Delivery"
Article discusses the collaborative call to action by the AAFP; the American Academy of Pediatrics; the American College of Nurse-Midwives; the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists; the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine to improve obstetrical care.

11/28/11 -- amednews.com
"Medicare RACs to Conduct Prepayment Reviews for Doctors, Hospitals"
Article covers the Obama administration's plans to increase audits by recovery audit contractors in an attempt to stop fraudulent Medicare claims. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., points out that RAC audits can have a negative effect, particularly on small practices that don't have the human resources to deal with the administrative tasks required.

11/28/11 -- amednews.com
"Wal-Mart Eyes More Involvement in Medical Care Services"
Article looks at the possible expansion of Wal-Mart retail health clinics into providing diagnostic and chronic care services. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., notes that this possible expansion points to the difficulty of providing health care in a retail setting. "Acute care was not a viable business model, and they started expanding into chronic disease management," says Stream, adding, "Even that model was not viable. I see this expansion into more full-spectrum primary care as their next effort to find a viable business model."

11/25/11 -- ModernMedicine
"Doctors Object to Earlier Start of Medicare Pay for Performance"
Short article covers the AAFP's objections to CMS using data from 2013 to pay physicians in pay-for-performance programs in 2015. The AAFP maintains that 2013 does not give family physicians enough time to prepare for the program.

11/14/11 -- amednews.com
"When the Office Visit is a Family Matter"
Article outlines the difficulties physicians face when family members insist on being in the exam room with the patient. Writer provides tips on how physicians can deal with this problem, including tips from AAFP Board member Reid Blackwelder, M.D.

11/14/11 -- NationalJournal.com
"White House Announces $1 Billion in Health Care Grants"
Article discusses a new grant program introduced by the Obama administration that will cover training costs and salaries for health care workers who could provide health care coordination services for the public. AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., is quoted as saying about that grant program, "We have to be very careful that we don't create a bunch of positions for which there won't be adequate payment." He also points out the need to create long-term investments in the physician workforce.

11/10/11 -- Los Angeles Times
"Wal-Mart Considers Expanding Healthcare Services at Its Clinics"
Article covers a supposed expansion of Wal-Mart's retail health clinics into taking care of more patients with chronic diseases. Although Wal-Mart has denied the scope of the project, AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., says in the story, "I would question if (Wal-Mart executives) really understand what it's like to deliver primary care with good outcomes and cost effectively. It's a lot more complex than people would think. I would be concerned whether a retail chain is the right place to do that." (Story also found in STLtoday.com and the News Tribune)

11/10/11 -- National Public Radio
"Wal-Mart Plans Ambitious Expansion Into Medical Care"
Article reveals a confidential request from Wal-Mart for partners to help the company, which has retail health clinics in some of its stores, become "the largest provider of primary health care services in the nation." In the story, AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., points out that the company's proposal will further fragment patient care and takes health care in the wrong direction.

11/9/11 -- CBSMiami.com
"CBS4 Investigates: Should Doctors Ask Patients About Guns?"
Article puts a human face on recent legislation in Florida that makes it illegal for physicians to ask their patients about gun use. The AAFP is called out for its stand on the issue which says an open conversation about guns between a physician and a patient is important. "Firearms education has been shown to decrease the likelihood of unintentional injury or death," says a statement from the Academy.

11/8/11 -- Healthcare Informatics
"AAFP, Emdeon Partner on Clinical Data Repository"
Article discusses the AAFP's new clinical data repository, or CDR, pilot project and the AAFP's partnership with Emdeon, the nation's largest health care claims processing company. The CDR is a response to a directive from the 2008 Congress of Delegates to explore creation of a secure CDR for members.

11/3/11 -- California Healthline
"Austerity Won't Help Physician Shortage, Experts Predict"
This article addresses the increasing shortage of primary care physicians in California and the threat to state health care if there are not enough physicians to take care of the influx of patients resulting from implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The AAFP and its California chapter are looking into sponsoring a bill that would create pilot projects to study the effects of changing the way physician training programs are funded by sending payments directly to community-based training programs.

11/3/11 -- ModernMedicine
"You Win! New ACO Rules Include Physician Preferences"
Article covers the changes made to the final rule for accountable care organizations, or ACOs, after a number of medical associations, including the AAFP, commented on the proposed rule for ACOs. Many of the changes the AAFP called for were included in the final rule. The changes make ACO participation and organization more attainable for smaller practices, says AAFP President Glen Stream, M.D., M.B.I., in the article. The revised rules "enable small- to medium-sized practices to transform their office procedures and other functions over a manageable time frame."