This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

AAFP 'really pleased' with Family Medicine Advocacy Summit's outcome

AAFP president John Meigs, MD, told Healio Family Medicine that this week's Family Medicine Advocacy Summit “went really well,” but also noted that the efforts extended during the event to address the issues important to family practitioners must continue.

The 2-day event, which wrapped up yesterday in Washington, D.C., allowed approximately 300 family physicians to get a primer from AAFP leaders and other experts on the Academy’s positions on preserving patients’ access to care and getting affordable, meaningful health insurance; ensuring patients are protected from diseases that can be prevented with timely vaccines; and reauthorization and appropriate funding for teaching health centers. Summit attendees — the largest group in the past 20 years of the meeting, according to Meigs — then met with members of Congress and their staff members to discuss these concerns.

John Meigs

Meigs stated that more than 500 individual meetings with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle took place.

“I was really pleased with the receptiveness of many of the legislators,” he said in an interview. “They really took the time to listen and ask questions about the impact of the policies they’re considering on our patients and our ability to meet the demand for family medicine and primary care.”

Megis added that family physicians or others that could not attend the summit or participate in yesterday’s National Day of Action can still make their voices heard. 

“They can visit their lawmakers in their district offices over the Memorial Day break and other times when legislators are back in their districts. They can email their representatives and senators. They can call their offices,” he said.

The parade of medical groups visiting lawmakers in the nation’s capital continues today, as approximately 430 ACP members, physicians and medical students meet with senators and representatives to discuss with lawmakers their suggestions for health care reform.

During a briefing yesterday, the ACP shared specifics of its plan which includes items such as expanding access to health care coverage and optimizing value for the dollar spent.

ACP and AAFP's meetings this week are the latest in a string of efforts for the groups to voice their wants regarding health care. The groups are among the many medical societies not pleased with the plan that narrowly passed the House earlier this month.

The plea regarding administrative burdens coming from ACP today is similar to one the Academy made when it sent President Donald J. Trump a letter earlier this year asking that he reduce regulatory burdens for physicians..

In addition, ACP is asking lawmakers during today's meetings to support and advance scientific research and public health.

Meigs has previously stated that it is important to continue meeting with lawmakers on these issues, even if the legislators appear to have their mind made up on the matter.

“If we don't keep the heat on them and keep raising these issues, then they will be more inclined to ignore our requests and concerns,” he said in an article on AAFP's website. "I am reminded of the old adage, 'The squeaky wheel gets the grease.' We might not get the grease, but we still have to squeak." – by Janel Miller

References:  Hit the Brakes on AHCA, AAFP and Other Groups Tell Senators (accessed 05-24-17)

Disclosure: Meigs is president of AAFP.