Access to Care
Universal health care insurance is necessary to ensure that everyone within the United States has access to needed health care services of high quality. On this page you will find information about ACP’s efforts to improve access to care for the uninsured. This includes support for state-based innovations in health care reform and our work on health care tax credits. However, access to care encompasses more than just the uninsured; you will also find our work on health disparities and minority health care, and our advocacy in support of mental health services.
Access to Care for the Uninsured
- ACP Statement on Providing the Public with Private and Public Options for Affordable Coverage
(16-Jun-09) - ACP Provides Statement for the Record on Access to Care: Statement for the record for House Ways and Means Sucommittee on Health Hearing on the Instability of Health Coverage in America (12-Apr-08)
- Achieving Affordable Health Insurance for All Within Seven Years: A proposal from America's Internists, Updated 2008 (May 2008)
- ACP Comments on the Citizens' Health Care Working Group's Interim Recommendations Letter To: Citizens' Health Care Working Group, Attn: Comments, Interim Recommendations (22-Aug-06)
- ACP Expresses Support for the Health Partnership Act; Letter To: U.S. Senators George Voinovich and Jeff Bingaman (02-May-06)
- Coverage Solutions for the Uninsured: Republican Proposals vs. ACP Proposals - Excel File (21-May-04)
- The Cost of Lack of Health Insurance (07-May-04)
- ACP's Statement to the Subcommittee on Health for the Record of the Hearing; on the Hearing of the Uninsured (09-Mar-04)
Health Care Reform
- Letter to ACP Members, "Update on Priorities in Health Care Reform;" Letter from Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of ACP (18-Nov-09)
- ACP's answers to frequently asked questions about the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962; (5-Nov-09)
- ACP letter to House leadership in support of the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (H.R. 3962); Letter to: Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Henry Waxman, Frank Pallone, Charles Rangel, Pete Stark, George Miller, Robert Andrews, and John Dingell (2-Nov-09)
- ACP letter to Senate leaders that shares our views on Senate health reform legislation (27-Oct-09)
- ACP's Top Priorities for Inclusion in Health Care Reform (1-Oct-09)
- Joint letter to the White House in support of including medical liability reform in health care reform legislation; Letter to: President Barack Obama (16-Sept-09)
- Adult Immunization Joint sign on Letter to Senate Finance Committee (21-Sept-09)
- ACP's Comments on Senator Baucus' America's Healthy Future Act of 2009; Letter from: Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of ACP (21-Sept-09)
- Do Not Let the Opportunity for Health Care Reform Slip Away - Op-Ed (21-Sept-09)
- Controlling Health Care Costs While Promoting The Best Possible Health Outcomes White Paper (09-Sept-09)
- HR 3200, The America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009: Snapshot of Key Issues. A side-by-side analysis comparing HR 3200 and ACP Policy
- UPDATED: ACP's answers to frequently asked questions about America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, H.R. 3200; (12-Aug-09)
- Letter to ACP Members, "What is ACP Fighting for in Health Care Reform?;" Letter from: Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of ACP (7-Aug-09)
- Individual Mandates in Health Insurance Reform (August 2009)
- Reforming the Tax Exclusion for Health Insurance (August 2009)
- A Public Plan Option in a Health Insurance Connector (August 2009)
- Joint Letter in Support of Health Care Reform (30-Jul-09)
- ACP expresses support for the Senate HELP committees health care reform legislation, the Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009; Letter to: Sen. Edward Kenney (D-MA) and Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), chair and subcommittee chairman of the Senate HELP committee (22-Jul-09)
- Joint letter in support of including support for patient-centered medical homes and primary care in health care reform; Letter to: Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of Ways and Means Committee (20-Jul-09)
- Joint letter in support of including medical liability reform in health care reform; Letter to: Rep. Heny Waxman (D-CA), chairman of Energy & Commerce Committee (16-Jul-09)
- Letter to chairmen of House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor Committees Regarding America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200) (15-Jul-09)
- Joint letter in support of Comparative Effectiveness Research provisions in House Tri-Committee health care reform bill; Letter from ACP, American Academy of Family Physicians, and Society of General Internal Medicine (13-Jul-09)
- Joint Letter from ACP, AAFP, and AOA urging Tri-Committee to increase primary care bonus to 10% Letter to: Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY), Chairman, Ways and Means Committee (9-Jul-09)
- ACP's Detailed Comments on House "Tri-Committee Health Care Reform Draft Proposal;" Comments to: House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means and Education & Labor Committees (2-Jul-09)
- Joint letter to request that the Senate HELP committee health reform legislation allow URAC to accredit health plans; Letter to: Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), chair of the Senate HELP committee (30-Jun-09)
- ACP Comments on House "Tri-Committee Health Care Reform Draft Proposal;" Comments to: House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee (25-Jun-09)
- Joint recommendations on including primary care in health care reform legislation; Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of ACP, and other physician leaders meet with congressional leadership (18-Jun-09)
- ACP's Comments on Financing Comprehensive Health Care Reform; Comments to Senate Finance Committee (26-May-09)
- Joint letter from the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease on Expanding Health Care Coverage; Letter to: Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee (22-May-09)
- ACP's Supplemental Comments on Policy Options for the Health Care Delivery System; Comments to Senate Finance Committee (22-May-09))
- ACP's Comments on Policy Options for Expanding Health Care Coverage; Comments to Senate Finance Committee (22-May-09)
- Joint letter from the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease on Transforming the Health Care Delivery System; Letter to: Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Senator Charles Grassley, chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee (R-IA) (15-May-09)
- ACP's recommendations on transforming the health care system; Letter to: Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee (15-May-09)
- ACP Comments on Policy Options for the Health Care Delivery System; Comments to Senate Finance Committee (15-May-09)
- Endorsement of the Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act of 2009 Letter to: Representative Schwartz (D-PA) from Dr. Stubbs (12-May-09)
- Joint Recommendations on Reforming Health Care Delivery System; Comments to Senate Finance Committee (6-May-09)
- Joint letter with recommendations to Congress on health care system reform; Letter to: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (27-Apr-09)
- Recommendations for Health Care Delivery System Reform; Testimony to: Senate Finance Committee (21-Apr-09)
- ACP urges Congressional leaders to adopt the House language regarding health reform in the FY2010 joint budget resolution; Letters To: Senate and House Leadership, Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Budget Committees, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee; (27-Mar-09)
- ACP commends Chairman Conrad for recognizing the need for an adequate primary care workforce in the FY2010 budget resolution; Letter to: Kent Conrad (D-ND), chairman Senate Committee on Budget (27-Mar-09)
- ACP commends Chairman Spratt for recognizing the value of primary care and care coordination in the FY2010 budget resolution; Letter to: John Spratt (D-SC), chairman House Committee on Budget (26-Mar-09)
- A Dialogue on U.S. Health Reform; Report from the Health Reform Dialogue collaboration (27-Mar-09)
- ACP Comments on Making Health Care Work for American Families: Improving Access to Care; Testimony to: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee; From: Jeffrey P. Harris, MD, FACP, president of ACP (24-Mar-09)
- ACP Comments on the President's Budget and Medicare: How Will Small Providers be Impacted?; Testimony to: House Committee on Small Business; From: Jeffrey P. Harris, MD, FACP, president of ACP (18-Mar-09)
- Joint Letter Requesting Financing for Health Care Reform be Included in Budget Resolution; Joint Letter to: Kent Conrad (D-ND), chairman Senate Committee on the Budget; Judd Gregg (R-NH), ranking minority member Senate Committee on the Budget; John M. Spratt, Jr. (D-SC), chairman House Committee on the Budget; and Paul Ryan (R-WI), ranking minority member House Committee on the Budget (9-Mar-09)
- ACP requests that funding for comparative effectiveness research remain in the economic stimulus legislation; Joint letter to: House of Representatives Majority Leader, Harry Reid and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (12-Feb-09)
- Recommendation to Congress to leave health care related provisions in the economic stimulus legislation; Letter sent to all Senators (5-Feb-09)
- ACP recommendations for the economic stimulus legislation, Letter to Senator Baucus (26-Jan-09)
- ACP Congratulates Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus on His Health Care Reform Plan Which Addresses Goals that Are Also of the Highest Priority for ACP; Letter to Senator Baucus (17-Nov-08)
- Achieving a High Performance Health Care System with Universal Access: What the United States Can Learn form Other Countries
- ACP Endorses the State-Based Health Care Reform Act; Letter To: The Honorable Russ Feingold and The Honorable Lindsey Graham, United States Senate (07-May-07)
- ACP Expresses Support for the Health Partnership Through Creative Federalism Act; Letter To: The Honorable Tammy Baldwin, U.S. House of Representatives (21-Jan-07)
- ACP Expresses Support for the Health Partnership Act; Letter To: U.S. Senators The Honorable Jeff Bingaman and George Voinovich (21-Jan-07)
- ACP Expresses Support for the Health Partnership Through Creative Federalism Act; Letter To: U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Tom Price (16-Oct-06)
Health Care Tax Credits
- Consumer-Directed Health Care & Health Savings Accounts (January 2005)
- Small Business Pooling Arrangements & Association Health Plans (January 2005)
- ACP responds Republication Uninsured Task Force recommendations. Letter to Senators: Gregg, Grassley, Snowe, Nickles, Kyl, Enzi, Talent, Cornyn, Hatch, Sessions, Voinovich (21-May-04)
Minority Health Care
- ACP Provides Statement for the Record on Health Disparities: Statement for the Record for House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing, Addressing Disparities in Health and Healthcare: Issues for Reform (10-Jun-08)
- Language Services for Patients with Limited English Proficiency: Results of a National Survey of Internal Medicine Physicians
- ACP Supports S. 1576. "The Minority Health Improvement and Disparity Elimination Act." Letter To: Senators Edward Kennedy and Thad Cochran (11-July-07)
- ACP Supports S. 4024, the "Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act"; Letter To: Senators Bill Frist, Edward Kennedy, Jeff Bingaman and Barrack Obama (17-Nov-06)
- ACP Endorses Statement of Principles on Access to Language Services in Health Care (29-Oct-04)
- Letter to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention expressing concerns for the CDC "Future Initiative" and the effect it may have on minority health issues. (30-Jun-04)
- ACP Urges Senate Leaders to Work Collectively to Enact Legislation to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care; Sign On Letter to Senators Frist and Daschle (20-Apr-04)
- ACP Supports S.2091, Closing the Health Care Gap Act of 2004 Letter To: The Honorable Bill Frist, United States Senate (26-Feb-04)
Mental Health Services
- ACP Urges Senate Finance Committee Members to Include Elimination of the Discriminatory 50 Percent Mental Health Coinsurance in Medicare Part B As Part of Any Major Medicare Legislation Advanced This Year: Letter To: Coalition to the Senate Finance Committee
(03-Oct-07)
- Coalition Letter Applauds Introduction of Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act of 2007; Letter To: The Honorable Fortney H. (Pete) Stark, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives (04-May-07)
- Coalition Letter Urging Elimination of Unfair Provision in Federal Law Imposing a 50 Percent Coinsurance Rate For Outpatient Mental Health Services Under Medicare; Letter To: The Honorable John Dingell, Chairman and the Honorable Joe Barton, Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives (02-May-07)
- ACP Supports the Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act (S. 486) Letter to: Sign On Letter to Entire Senate (29-Jan-04)
- ACP Supports the Senator Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act (H.R. 953) Letter to: Sign On Letter to Entire House (29-Jan-04)
Additional issues under Access to Care
- ACP signs on to coalition letter to Congress supporting immunizations, including for children (02-Jun-08)
- ACP Supports S. 1716, the "Emergency Health Care Relief Act of 2005"; Letter To: The Honorable Charles E. Grassley and The Honorable Max Baucus (16-Sept-05)
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