FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2025
Media Contact:
pr@aafp.org
“As family physicians, our commitment goes beyond the exam room. We are neighbors, listeners and advocates for the families who trust us with their health. With a government shutdown now in effect, we see firsthand the anxiety and uncertainty this brings to patients who depend on government-supported programs for their care and well-being, and we feel that uncertainty ourselves as we experience the conflict of helping patients achieve healthier lives in the face of limited resources.
We know what’s at stake for parents trying to keep their children healthy, for individuals managing chronic conditions and for older adults who rely on timely access to their doctors. The possibility of lost access to vital services, whether it’s a residency program, a local community health center or the convenience of telehealth, is one more blow to the fragile web of services and programs that are critical to so many of our patients.
Our ask is clear: Congress must safeguard the programs that keep care within reach. Funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program and the Community Health Center Fund is essential, not just for training tomorrow’s primary care physicians, but for ensuring every family has a place to turn when they need help. Additionally, telehealth serves as a lifeline for so many, preserving flexibility and access is crucial.
A shutdown only stifles access to care, impacts training opportunities for preparing the next generation of physicians and leaves our patients scrambling for alternative care -- or worse yet, going without care. On behalf of family physicians across the U.S., we urge our elected leaders to recognize the human faces behind every policy decision and reach a swift bipartisan resolution that preserves access to care.”
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About the American Academy of Family Physicians
The AAFP is the largest national association of family physicians, representing 128,300 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.