FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Statement attributable to:
Michael Munger, MD
President
American Academy of Family Physicians
“America’s health care system has seen dramatic change in the past year. And based on President Trump’s State of the Union address, we can expect more change in 2018. As Congress and the Administration move to execute policies affecting patients’ access to care, the AAFP will continue to strongly advocate for comprehensive, meaningful and affordable health care for everyone, regardless of age, gender or medical history.
“We support policies that will stabilize the health insurance market and look forward to the opportunity to work with the Administration and Congress to establish health policies that ensure Americans have affordable, meaningful health insurance. The AAFP has called for funding cost-sharing reductions that enable insurance companies to provide comprehensive coverage at affordable costs to low-income families. And although we support increased access to affordable health care coverage, we do not support policies that put low cost above meaningful coverage. Plans that skirt the current law’s requirements for covering pre-existing conditions and essential benefits such as maternity care, diagnostic tests and emergency care provide inadequate coverage, increase patient costs and potentially result in health and financial insecurity.
“The AAFP also welcomes the Administration’s continued attention to high drug prices. Skyrocketing drug prices dramatically increase patients’ costs and make it harder to afford what patients need to live a healthy life. We urge the administration to move beyond rhetoric and take action that ensures patients can afford the medications their physicians prescribe.
“The AAFP looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration on policies that put patients first and that provide true access to the preventive and primary care services proven to prevent illness, complications of chronic conditions, unnecessary costs and lost worker productivity.”
Editor's Note: To arrange an interview with Dr. Munger, contact Leslie Champlin, 800-274-2237, Ext. 6252, or lchampli@aafp.org.
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Founded in 1947, the American Academy of Family Physicians represents 134,600 physicians and medical students nationwide, and it is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.
Family physicians conduct approximately one in five of the total medical office visits in the United States per year – more than any other specialty. Family physicians provide comprehensive, evidence-based, and cost-effective care dedicated to improving the health of patients, families and communities. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing and personal patient-physician relationship where the family physician serves as the hub of each patient’s integrated care team. More Americans depend on family physicians than on any other medical specialty.
To learn more about the AAFP and family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. Follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.familydoctor.org