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Family Physicians Continue Fight for Health Care Reform; Blast Senate Health Committee 'No' Vote

Posted on: Tuesday, 29 January 2008, 00:00 CST

Calling today's Senate Health Committee's 'No' vote on ABX1_1 a move that "leaves millions of Californians outside the health care system without essential care," California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) President Carla Kakutani, MD, said her organization will continue working on behalf of patients "in the Legislature as well as our medical offices to be sure all Californians have access to the care they need."

"CAFP is a leader in the efforts for health care reform because as physicians we see how desperate people are for solutions," Kakutani said. "Those without health care coverage often delay seeking treatment until their illnesses reach crisis proportions, ultimately causing patients more suffering and costing the health care system more money in the long term."

Citing the state's historically large budget deficit, Kakutani reminded legislators that letting California's health care crisis continue to spiral out of control will only increase the state's budget woes. "Not finding a way to provide access to coverage for the state's uninsured is simply unacceptable to the millions of Californians who cannot access the health care system, many of whom then struggle alone with chronic illnesses and serious complications. It's also unacceptable to us as physicians."

Family medicine physicians focus on primary and preventive care, helping people stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. "Without health insurance, many people decide not to see a doctor until they're quite ill," Kakutani explained. "When untreated, chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease become life-threatening. Complications from untreated diabetes include blindness, foot amputations and death. Complications from untreated heart disease include disabling heart attacks and death."

The United States has the highest rate of preventable deaths among 19 leading industrialized countries, due largely to the lack of access to care, Kakutani said, citing a study published in the January/February 2008 issue of the prestigious journal, Health Affairs. "ABX1_1 provided an excellent framework and an outstanding opportunity to improve the health care -- and therefore the lives -- of millions of Californians, including 800,000 children. Moving forward, the California Academy of Family Physicians will do everything in our power to bring meaningful health care reform to our state," she said.

"We look forward to continuing our work with members of the California Assembly, the governor, and other legislators who have worked so hard to bring health care reform this far," Kakutani said, "and with other health, business and labor organizations as well."

About the California Academy of Family Physicians

Since 1948, CAFP has been analyzing and disseminating trends and information to assist California's family physicians in their practices. With more than 7,000 members, including active practicing family physicians, residents in family medicine, and medical students interested in the specialty, CAFP is the largest primary care medical society in California, and the largest chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Family physicians are trained to treat an entire family's medical needs, addressing the whole spectrum of life's medical challenges. FPs serve a broad base of patients in urban, suburban and rural areas, often in California's most underserved areas.

Source: Business Wire

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