Washington (November 16, 2017)—Our organizations, which represent more than 560,000 physicians and medical students, strongly support policies that ensure every American has access to affordable health coverage. We are concerned that a proposed provision in the Senate tax reform legislation to repeal the individual mandate is inconsistent with our goals.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that repeal of the individual mandate will result in 13 million people becoming uninsured by 2027. Furthermore, repealing the mandate will increase premiums and destabilize the individual and small group markets.
Our members are the nation’s frontline physicians, providing care to individuals and families in communities large and small, urban and rural. They see each day the inherent value of having health care coverage. Health care coverage is the gateway to prevention and wellness and a guardrail in the event of a major health event. Having health care coverage and a continuous relationship with a physician are the two factors that have been proven the world over to increase quality and decrease cost.
Additionally, increased access to affordable health care coverage is a major reason that bankruptcies related to health care have decreased significantly over the past five years. Health care coverage provides financial security to millions of people and protects them in the most challenging times of their life, especially those who have pre-existing conditions and conditions that require a high intensity of care over their lifetime.
Our organizations oppose provisions in the Senate tax reform proposal that would repeal policies requiring individuals to purchase health care coverage. Our health care system needs improvements, and our organizations stand ready to work with the Senate to identify bipartisan and impactful reforms that will ensure a robust and competitive health care market. However, according to the Congressional Budget Office, repeal of the individual mandate in this form, absent additional reforms that would stabilize the insurance market, has the potential, to raise health insurance premiums by a projected 20 percent and increase the number of uninsured Americans.
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About the American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 129,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only 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, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.familydoctor.org.
About the American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 152,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter and Facebook.
About the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College), a 501(c)(3) organization, is the nation's leading group of physicians providing health care for women. As a private, voluntary, nonprofit membership organization of more than 58,000 members, The College strongly advocates for quality health care for women, maintains the highest standards of clinical practice and continuing education of its members, promotes patient education, and increases awareness among its members and the public of the changing issues facing women's health care. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a 501(c)(6) organization, is its companion.
About the American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 129,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. Visit DoctorsThatDO.org to learn more about osteopathic medicine.
About the American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 37,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.