FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 22, 2019
Statement attributable to:
John Cullen, MD
President
American Academy of Family Physicians
"The American Academy of Family Physicians was pleased Russell Kohl, MD, vice-speaker of the AAFP Board of Directors, represented the AAFP, our members and the specialty of family medicine during today’s CMS Innovation Center discussion on primary care."
"For more than 20 years, the AAFP and our primary care colleagues have worked to create a delivery system that encourages innovation in primary care delivery and that rewards comprehensive, continuous, patient-centered care rather than simply episodes of care. Throughout this time, the AAFP has provided family medicine’s perspective and input. That effort is ongoing, and we’ll continue to work with CMS and CMMI to build a stronger foundation of primary medical care that is patient-centered and focused on value and outcomes.
"For decades, research has demonstrated the relationship between primary care and improved outcomes, better overall health and longer life expectancy. Recent research has shown how little investment Medicare makes in primary care. Today marks an important step toward recognizing the importance of primary care by developing payment models that value primary care.
"We applaud the introduction of new primary care delivery and payment models, and we look forward to working with CMS and CMMI on testing these new models as we continue our pursuit of a health care system built on a strong foundation of primary care."
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 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.