FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 27 2019
Statement attributable to:
John Cullen, MD
President
American Academy of Family Physicians
“The Department of Justice support of the district court’s December ruling to strike down the Affordable Care Act should alarm everyone. The ultimate outcome of this case will determine whether tens of millions of Americans will have access to necessary—and often lifesaving—medical care.
“As a result of the ACA’s patient protections, insurers cannot discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, diabetes or cancer. They cannot rescind coverage when a patient becomes sick. The ACA requires coverage of preventive care, laboratory tests, maternity care, emergency room services and other essential benefits. It prohibits insurance companies from capping annual or lifetime benefits and prevents discrimination against patients due to their age, medical history or gender.
“Family physicians support these provisions in the ACA. The American Academy of Family Physicians would support legislative efforts to improve the ACA by expanding coverage and making services more affordable. However, eliminating the ACA is not the way to accomplish this. The AAFP will be steadfast in our support of patient protections as we continue to work for policies that ensure our patients get the care they need, when they need it.”
Editor's Note: To arrange an interview with Dr. Cullen, contact Leslie Champlin, (800) 274-2237, Ext. 6252, or lchampli@aafp.org.
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About the American Academy of Family Physicians
The AAFP is the largest national association of family physicians, representing 124,500 physicians and medical students. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on impactful care for people of all ages, races and genders across all medical conditions. The AAFP supports every stage of a family physician's career and provides evidence-based resources, advocacy and community to empower family medicine. To learn more, visit aafp.org. For information about health care, medical conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s patient education website, familydoctor.org.