FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Contact:
Leslie Champlin
American Academy of Family Physicians
913-906-6252
lchampli@aafp.org
LEAWOOD, Kan. — Two congressional leaders were recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians this week when they received the Congressional Primary Care Champion Awards.
Honored were Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., who represents Illinois’s 10th District, and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, who represents New York's 21st District.
The award is given to recognize members of Congress who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing public policy that promotes the value of family medicine and primary care to individuals, families, and our health care system. It commends exceptional individual leadership.
The AAFP is pleased to honor Reps. Schneider and Stefanik. They are the bipartisan sponsors of the Primary Care Patient Protection Act, which would help individuals and families maintain a relationship with their primary care physician at a time of ever-increasing deductibles. It’s a commonsense approach to help families maintain health and avoid costlier health care encounters. Reps. Schneider and Stefanik also have co-sponsored H.R. 2439, the Opioid Workforce Act of 2019.”
Rep. Schneider has emerged as a leading voice for commonsense reforms to our health care system that promote access to affordable health care for all Americans. He continues to promote policies affect Medicare, women’s health and improvements to the Affordable Care Act. He also has been a leader in drawing attention to the health consequences of changes in our climate.
Rep. Stefanik is a nationally recognized leader on health care issues. She has introduced legislation to assist veterans, secure access to care in rural communities, and support community health centers. In addition, she has become a vocal advocate for increasing access to obstetrical services in rural communities and the need to support families and caregivers who are providing care and support to Alzheimer’s patients.
# # #
About American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 130,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the largest medical society devoted solely to primary care. Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits — that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited 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 and the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, visit www.aafp.org. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s consumer website, www.familydoctor.org.