Nation's Largest Medical Societies Launch Campaign for Universal Health Coverage
To: National Desk, Health Reporter
Contact: Maureen Maxwell, 202-232-9033 or 888-794-7481, or Tasha Remington-Stephens, 816-333-9700 or 800-274-2237, ext. 4224, both of the Physicians' Work Group on Universal Coverage
WASHINGTON, June 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- America's largest physician groups are launching a campaign to make universal health care coverage the number one priority in the 2000 presidential election, announced a group of national medical societies in Washington, D.C., today.
The groups involved include the American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and American College of Surgeons.
"We must exploit the current window of opportunity to put health care for the uninsured at the forefront of public debate," declared Whitney Addington, M.D., chair of the Physicians' Work Group on Universal Coverage Statement Subcommittee. "Our goal is to have every congressional and presidential candidate promise to create or support a plan to solve the problem of the uninsured within his or her first year of taking office."
Currently more than 43 million Americans lack health insurance, and the number is expected to grow to more than 47 million within the next five years.
In a statement released today, the group vowed to fight for three basic concepts:
1) All Americans must have health care coverage.
2) Health care coverage will contain a quality benefits package.
3) Medical necessity determinations made under the benefit package should reflect generally accepted standards of medical practice, supported by outcomes-based evidence.
This morning, the statement was delivered to Congress and 2000 presidential candidates. The medical groups plan to use their organizational resources and a collective grassroots membership of more than 600,000 doctors to press political candidates on the subject of the uninsured.
"While each of our societies may support different approaches, we all seek to achieve the same objective: providing all Americans with health care coverage," says the statement. "Expanding the individual's ability to choose among several health insurance options is crucial. We support pluralism of health care delivery systems and financing mechanisms in achieving universal coverage and access to health care services."
The medical societies are promising to work both separately and collectively on the issue of access and "continue this pursuit until our goal of universal health coverage for all is achieved."
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Note to Editors: A copy of the medical societies joint statement "All Americans Must Have Health Insurance" is available online at http://www.aafp.org/news/990614nr.html.
Contacts:
American Medical Association
Linda Stepanich, 312-464-4430,
or Brenda Craine, 202-789-7447
Web site: http://www.ama.assn.org
--
American Academy of Family Physicans
Crystal Williams, 816-333-9700 or 800-274-2237, ext. 4220,
or Maureeen Maxwell, 202-232-9033 or 888-794-7481
Web site: http://www.aafp.org
--
American Academy of Pediatrics
Marjorie Tharp, 202-347-8600
Web site: http://www.aap.org
--
American College of Emergency Physicians
M.J. England, 202-728-0610
or Laura Gore, 202-728-0610
Web site: http://www.acep.org
--
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Alice Kirkman, 202-863-2528
Web site: http://www.acog.org
--
American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal
Medicine
Jack Pope, 202-261-4556
Web site: http://www.acponline.org
--
American College of Surgeons
Christian Selger, 202-337-2701
Web site: http://www.facs.org
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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
06/14 10:19
Copyright 1999, U.S. Newswire
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