AAFP Advises CMS on Prior Authorizations, Opioid Epidemic
The AAFP recently made recommendations to CMS on how to address specific issues with Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D programs.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20180307medicareadv.html
AAFP Advises Lawmakers on Funding to Improve Primary Care
In written testimony to Congress, the AAFP recommended robust funding for a number of federal programs that are crucial to enhancing primary care's role in protecting health and preventing chronic illness nationwide.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20190403budgettestimony.html
AAFP Advocacy on MACRA Implementation Paying Off
CMS recently announced a Pick Your Pace plan that would provide greater flexibility for physicians regarding the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. AAFP Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Practice Advancement and Policy Shawn Martin writes that the options outlined by CMS ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/aafp_advocacy_on_macra_implementation.html
AAFP Advocacy Promotes Compassionate Care
After years of advocacy efforts, public policy has begun to align with AAFP policy in regards to advance care planning. AAFP Vice President for Advocacy and Practice Advancement Shawn Martin looks at how the 2016 Medicare physician fee schedule would ensure that family physicians are ...
AAFP News : In the Trenches : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/inthetrenches/entry/aafp_advocacy_promotes_compassionate_care.html
AAFP Advocacy Update
...targeted Hill meetings • Family Medicine Advocacy Summit - May • Revamp advocacy tools (PAC, grassroots, tops) Practice Advancement 20 AAFP Value-Based Payment Efforts • 2021 VBP Payment Study • Payer Engagement • Vision 2025 • VBP Advisory Group • FPM FPM offers...
About AAFP
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/strategic_partnerships/corporate_roundtable/crt-advocacy-update.pdf
AAFP Advocacy Visible in Value-based Payment Legislation
In a July 24 letter, the AAFP lauded the Value in Health Care Act's support of value-based care models and accountable care organizations.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20200730vhcact.html
AAFP Advocacy: Health Care Coverage
Learn about the AAFP's advocacy work around changes in health care coverage systems and processes, including changes to the ACA, CHIP, and more.
https://www.aafp.org/advocacy/advocacy-topics/health-care-coverage.html
AAFP and ACP Release Guideline on Dementia Treatment - Practice Guidelines - American ...
Apr 15, 2008 - A guideline created by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American College of Physicians (ACP) reviews the data on the effects of pharmacologic treatment of dementia for improving cognition, global function, behavior/mood, and quality of life (QOL)/activities of ...
American Family Physician : Practice Guidelines
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/0415/p1173.html
AAFP Announces New Innovation Lab Collaboration
The AAFP Innovation Lab is seeking a dozen or so Academy members to evaluate a novel AI-driven point-of-care platform for primary care dubbed Navina.
https://www.aafp.org/news/practice-professional-issues/20200925navina.html
AAFP Applauds GME Senate Bill Aimed at Rural Shortages
The AAFP has signaled its strong support for the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2019, saying it would alleviate physician shortages in rural communities.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20190214ruralworkforceact.html
AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education
Learn about the AAFP Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education, recognizing leadership, civic involvement and exemplary patient care.
https://www.aafp.org/membership/benefits/awards/student-resident-awards/gme.html
AAFP Backgrounder - Scope of Practice: Pharmacists
...pharmacists and physicians, such as collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM). However, the AAFP believes that only licensed doctors of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, and podiatry should have the statutory authority to prescribe drugs. The AAFP believes that independent...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/scope/BKG-Scope-Pharmacists.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder - Scope of Practice: Physician Assistants
...determination of scope of practice, adaptability of supervision requirements, determination of co-signature requirements, and maximum number of PAs a physician can supervise at one time. All states have passed legislation regarding the use of the term licensure to describe the...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/scope/BKG-Scope-PhysicianAssistants.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Education and Training - Family Physicians vs Nurse Practitioners
...and the clerkships grants students the Medical Doctor (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree, which entitles them to start full clinical training in a residency program. Most family medicine residency programs, which are accredited by the Accreditation Council for...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/scope/FPvsNP.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Graduate Medical Education
...AAFP Position To increase the number of family medicine graduates in the United States, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is committed to removing significant barriers stifling the growth in family medicine specialty choice among U.S. medical graduates. AAFP policy...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/gme/BKG-GME.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Medicaid Expansion
...12.7 million individuals newly eligible for Medicaid under the law’s Medicaid expansion provisions.3,4 The greatest declines in the number of uninsured post-ACA have been in the 36 states and DC that expanded Medicaid eligibility to include largely working adults without children...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/coverage/medicaid/BKG-MedicaidExpansion.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Medicaid Work Requirements
...Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Analyses of these programs suggest that work requirements do not spur a significant number of beneficiaries to seek and gain employment7 and that the evidence to support the idea that work has a positive impact on health and health...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/coverage/medicaid/BKG-MedicaidWorkRequirements.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Physician Preceptor Tax Credits
...and coordinated care through robust family medicine preceptorship programs. Evidence shows that early and consistent mentorship of medical students by preceptors increases the likelihood of these students choosing family medicine as a career. The AAFP will continue to advocate for...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/gme/BKG-PreceptorTaxCredit.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Primary Care Spend
...and efforts to increase the level of investment. Transparency in Primary Care Spending Despite an increase in the number of medical students choosing family medicine and other primary care specialties for residency, resources and investment within the United States remain skewed...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/payment/apms/BKG-PrimaryCareSpend.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Sustain Primary Care
...of their patients, COVID-19 and non-COVID-related. The FFS payment model, by design, reimburses based on the number of services delivered. At the core of family medicine is a focus on health, wellness and prevention. These goals are not appropriately supported by our current payment...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/campaigns/action_week/BKG-SustainPrimaryCare.pdf
AAFP Backgrounder: Teaching Health Centers
...Background The THCGME program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), provides funding to increase the number of primary care medical and dental residents training in community-based settings across the country. Since most health care in the U.S....
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/gme/BKG-TeachingHealthCenters.pdf
AAFP Backs Breastfeeding, Lactation for Medical Trainees
The AAFP has updated its policy supporting breastfeeding and lactation accommodations for medical trainees, which other medical organizations plan to use as model policy for their members.
https://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20190626breastfeedpolicy.html
AAFP Breaks Down 2021 MPFS Final Rule for Members
The Academy has released its summary of the 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule final rule for members, including details of evaluation and management coding improvements.
https://www.aafp.org/news/practice-professional-issues/20201210mpfssummary.html
AAFP Calls for Wide-ranging Approach to Lowering Drug Prices
The AAFP offered multiple suggestions, as well as some cautionary advice, in response to an HHS request for information on ways to lower drug prices.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20180724hhsdrugsltr.html
AAFP Chapter Health Equity Planning Grants
This project will support health equity planning by six AAFP chapters. The recipients will receive a $5,000 grant to support planning activities starting June 1, 2019 and ending May 31, 2020. Recipients will also receive technical assistance from the AAFP’s Population Health Department ...
https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/prevention-wellness/social-determinants/health-equity-grants.html
AAFP CME Faculty
Share your passion for family medicine with others -- learn how to get involved as an AAFP CME faculty member.
https://www.aafp.org/cme/faculty.html
AAFP CME Faculty Overview
Share your passion for family medicine with others -- learn how to get involved as an AAFP CME faculty member.
https://www.aafp.org/cme/faculty/overview.html
AAFP_CME_Rate_Card.pdf
...readers turn for more information on upcoming courses and programs. The AAFP CME is designed to help physicians meet the ABFM’s Family Medicine Certification (formerly MC-FP) requirements when and how it works for their schedule. The American Family Physician and FPM medical...
American Family Physician
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/journals/afp/AAFP_CME_Rate_Card.pdf
AAFP Comment Letter on 2019 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule - December 28, 2018
...actuarially based upon the framework of FFS payment. Thus, if current FFS payments are not improved, the current undervaluation of family medicine and primary care payment will result in a similar undervaluation of primary care in evolving primary care APMs. In the long run,...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/coverage/medicare/LT-CMS-2019FinalMPFS-122818.pdf
AAFP Comments on 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule - September 28, 2020
...family medicine and primary care. We look forward to working with CMS on designing and implementing policies that support these shared goals through both the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Our members are on the frontlines of medicine,...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/payment/medicare/feesched/LT-CMS-Response2021MPFSProposedRule-092820.pdf
AAFP Comments to CMS on MSSP/ACO Proposed Rule - October 15, 2018
...is related to at least two factors-being physician-led and having a strong primary care foundation. A September 2018 New England Journal of Medicine article found that physician-led ACOs generated savings that increased over a three-year study period compared to hospital-led ACOs.2...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/payment/apms/LT-CMS-ACO-MSSP-101518.pdf
AAFP Comments to CMS on the 2018 Inpatient Proposed Rule
...that meets their needs. It should be noted that this will occur at a point when upgrading to 2015 Edition CEHRT could minimize the number of significant disruptions to patient care. As some members have begun the process of switching EHR systems, reports of information blocking...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/legal/administrative/LT-CMS-IPPSProposedRule-060817.pdf
AAFP Comments to DEA on MAT Interim Final Rule - December 23, 2020
AAFP comments on the DEA Medication-Assisted treatment interim final rule.
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/prevention/risk/LT-DEA-MATFinalRule-122320.pdf
AAFP Comments to DHS on Proposal to Eliminate the H-1B Visa Lottery - December 1, 2020
...Department proposes to grant petitions based on wage level, awarding them first to those with the highest wages. Due to existing caps on the number of H-1B physicians that are accepted, this means that petitioners with lower wage levels will never be selected and it is unlikely that...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/gme/LT-DHS-H1BLotteryProposedRule-120120.pdf
AAFP Comments to HHS on Proposed Rule to Automate Prior Authorizations - December 23, 2020
The AAFP is in favor of requirements for payers to automate and respond to prior authorization requests in a timely manner, so we are concerned that this proposal will not have a meaningful impact on reducing administrative burden, since it does not include Medicare Advantage plans or ...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/legal/administrative/LT-HHS-PriorAuthProposedRule-122320.pdf
AAFP Comments to HHS on SUNSET Proposal - December 2, 2020
...the regulation. More specifically, the Department proposes to require that all regulations are assessed for their impact on a substantial number of small entities. For those that are deemed to have a significant impact, HHS will have to more formally review them to determine whether...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/legal/administrative/LT-HHS-CommentsSUNSETProposal-120220.pdf
AAFP Creates COVID-19 Member Community, Preparation Checklist
The AAFP continues to work with the CDC and state/local health departments to disseminate the latest coronavirus disease 2019 guidance to Academy members through one resource.
https://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20200311coronavirus4.html
AAFP Creates New MIG for Employed Physicians
Employed family physicians have a new member interest group where they can network, communicate ideas and share common interests.
https://www.aafp.org/news/inside-aafp/20191015employedmig.html
AAFP Credit Activity Types
The AAFP grants CME credit for many different activities. Learn more here.
https://www.aafp.org/cme/credit-system/activity-types.html
AAFP Credit Application Fees
View AAFP CME Credit System application fees for AAFP certification.
https://www.aafp.org/cme/credit-system/fees.html
AAFP Delegation Stands Up for Residency Teaching Faculty
AAFP delegates supported physicians-in-training during this year's AMA House of Delegates annual meeting as they sought to ensure that their instructors can devote adequate time to teaching duties.
https://www.aafp.org/news/education-professional-development/20190619ama-educ.html
AAFP Delivering on Maternity Care Training, Resources
In many rural communities, family physicians are the only maternity care providers. The AAFP provides training and support members need to play this vital role.
AAFP News : AAFP Leader Voices | AAFP News Blog : Blogs
https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/leadervoices/entry/aafp_delivering_on_maternity_care.html
AAFP Delivers Strong Advice to Reduce Maternal Morbidity
The AAFP recently sent a detailed response to a Senate Finance Committee request for information on how to improve the nation's maternal morbidity and mortality rates.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20200420maternalrfi.html
AAFP Delivers Useful Clinical Resources for 2018
The AAFP offered a wide range of clinical recommendations and resources throughout 2017 -- including practice guidelines, immunization guidance and preventive services recommendations -- that members can use in 2018 and beyond.
https://www.aafp.org/news/resources-tools-2018/20180103yir-clinical.html
AAFP Digs In, Gives CMS Comprehensive Comments on MPFS
The AAFP sent a 92-page letter to CMS with recommendations on how to improve the proposed 2019 Medicare physician fee schedule so it better supports family medicine.
https://www.aafp.org/news/government-medicine/20180906mpfscomments.html
AAFP Endorses AAO-HNS Tonsillectomy in Children Guideline
The AAFP has endorsed an updated guideline on tonsillectomy in children that was developed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. The guideline was published Feb. 5 in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
https://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20190227aao-hnstonsillectomygdln.html
AAFP Executive Summary of Alternative Payment Models - March 14, 2017
...view of the patient, who is much more than a set of organ systems and disease conditions. The goal of primary care is to ensure that medicine does not lose sight of the whole patient and the patient’s context, which affects a wide range of health outcomes. There is an emerging...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/payment/apms/ES-AdvancedPrimaryCare-121316.pdf
AAFP Executive Summary: 2020 Year End Funding Bill and COVID-19 Emergency Funding Key ...
On Dec. 22, President Trump signed legislation into law which funds the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 and provides about $900 billion in COVID-19 emergency funding. The bipartisan agreement is the fourth legislative package passed in response to the COVID-19 ...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/prevention/crisis/ES-2020YearEndBillHighlights-122220.pdf
AAFP Exhibitor Opportunities
Find out all of the opportunities that the AAFP has for exhibiting at national events. National Conference and Family Medicine Experience (FMX) have many ways for organizations to have the opportunity to get in front of AAFP members.
https://www.aafp.org/events/exhibitor-opportunities.html
AAFP Fact Sheet on the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Program
...Increases the number of physicians who serve underserved populations 2 3 Reauthorize the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program THCGME residents train in the primary care specialties of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics,...
Advocacy
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/advocacy/workforce/gme/FS-THCGME.pdf