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Access to Care
Background
In order to benefit from health care services, people need to be able to access them. Affordability and lack of insurance can be major barriers to accessing needed care in the United States. The Affordable Care Act has made significant progress in reducing the number of people who are uninsured, but major challenges remain to providing access to care. Additional barriers to access also prevent individuals from obtaining necessary prescription drugs, mental and behavioral health services, reproductive health care, and can disproportionately impact immigrants and other vulnerable populations.
Advocacy Spotlight
Women’s Health and Supreme Court Leak
A message from ACP leaders to membership about the recent information from the Supreme Court that threatens access to reproductive health care services.
Where We Stand
The American College of Physicians has a long-standing goal of increasing access to care in the United States. We support the goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and advocated for its passage. We continue to advocate for improvements to the law as we also advocate for comprehensive reforms to achieve universal coverage, including consideration of a single payer of a public option, so that no one lacks affordable coverage. We support efforts to help control the rising cost of prescription drugs and other health care services. We support increased availability and coverage for mental and behavioral health services. We support access to reproductive health care. And, we support protecting access to care for immigrants to the United States.
- PolicyHealth Care During Incarceration 11/22/2022
- Policy An Update to ACP’s Women’s Health Policy in the United States 6/24/2022
- PolicyHealth Care for Our Nation's Veterans 11/2021
- PolicyFinancial Profit in Medicine 10/2021
- PolicyPosition Statement on Immunization Policies to Protect the Public 9/14/2021
- PolicyMitigating the Negative Impact of Step Therapy Policies and Nonmedical Switching of Prescription Drugs on Patient Safety 2020
- PolicyPolicy Recommendations to Promote Prescription Drug Competition 2020
- PolicyPolicy Recommendations for Pharmacy Benefit Managers to Stem the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs 2019
- PolicyPolicy Recommendations for Public Health Plans to Stem the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs 2019
- PolicyImproving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's Insurance Coverage Provisions 2019
- PolicyPrescription for a Forward-Looking Agenda to Improve American Health Care 2017
- PolicyAddressing the Increasing Burden of Health Insurance Cost Sharing 2016
ACP Offers Recommendations to Improve the Affordable Care Act
ACP offers recommendations to improve the Affordable Care Act to lay the foundation for health care reforms that will lead to universal coverage for all Americans in a new policy paper published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Watch Video
Latest Advocacy Efforts
- StatementInternal Medicine Physicians Call for Improved Access and Quality in Health Care for Incarcerated Patients 11/21/2022
- LetterJoint Letter in Support of Permanent Nationwide Extension of Postpartum Medicaid Coverage 11/14/2022
- StatementInternal Medicine Physicians Say Banning Gender Affirming Care will Harm the Health of Floridians 11/7/2022
- StatementInternal Medicine Physicians Say Administration’s Efforts Will Help Lower Prescription Drug Costs 10/19/2022
- StatementInternal Medicine Physicians Say Fixing “Family Glitch” will Help Families Better Afford Insurance Coverage 10/12/2022
- StatementInternal Medicine Physicians Say Court Decision Threatens Access to Preventive Health Care 9/9/2022
- LetterACP Support Letter for the Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act, H.R. 4289 9/6/2022
Search the ACP Policy Library
Access everything ACP has said related to access to care issues by searching all policy statements, copies of testimony, and letters to government and non-government officials.
Access to Care
Additional Advocacy Efforts
- Internal Medicine Physicians Call Inflation Reduction Act a Win for Health in U.S.8/15/2022
- ACP Letter to House in Support of Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act 8/11/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Say Inflation Reduction Act will Improve Access to Health Care 8/8/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Support Administration’s Efforts to Secure Access to Reproductive Health Care, But More is Needed 8/4/2022
- ACP Letter in Support of Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act 8/2/2022
- ACP Letter of Support for On-going Senate Discussions on a Reconciliation Package 7/22/2022
- ACP Letter to House Leaders Regarding Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court Decision 7/14/2022
- ACP Statement for the Record to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee for the Hearing “Reproductive Care in a Post-Roe America: Barriers, Challenges, and Threats to Women's Health” 7/13/2022
- ACP Letter of Support for H.R. 8296, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022 7/12/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Supportive of Executive Order on Reproductive Health, But More Needed to Restore Rights 7/8/2022
- Joint statement opposing the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization 6/27/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Greatly Concerned by Supreme Court Decision Eliminating Right to Reproductive Services 6/24/2022
- ACP Comment Letter to the Internal Revenue Service Regarding the Family Glitch Proposed Rule 6/6/2022
- ACP Letter to the Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Offering Feedback to Discussion Draft Of FDA User Fee Agreement Reauthorization 5/20/2022
- ACP Written Testimony for the Record to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for FY2023 5/18/2022
- Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership Supporting Funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) COVID-19 Uninsured Program 5/16/2022
- ACP Update: Women’s Health & SCOTUS Leak 5/10/2022
- Joint Letter Urging Senators to Support S.4132, Women’s Health Protection Act 5/10/2022
- ACP Written Testimony for the Record to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for FY2023 5/9/2022
- Joint Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2023 Supporting Funding for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical and Prosthetic Research Program 5/3/2022
- Joint Letter to Congressional Appropriators Urging Increased Funding for the Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network 4/26/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Say White House Strategy Would Improve Treatment for Substance Use Disorders 4/22/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Say Oklahoma Abortion Legislation Will Criminalize Health Care4/6/2022
- Joint Letter to Congressional Appropriators Urging Increased Funding for the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant 4/6/2022
- ACP Statement to the Energy and Commerce Committee Regarding Mental and Behavioral Health Legislation 4/5/2022
- ACP Statement to the Energy and Commerce Committee Regarding Mental and Behavioral Health Legislation 4/5/2022
- ACP Submits Statement to House Oversight and Reform Committee on Examining Pathways to Universal Health Care 3/29/2022
- Joint Statement Opposing Legislation that Threatens Access to Reproductive Health Care 3/22/2022
- Internal Medicine Physicians Say Idaho Abortion Legislation Will Harm Patient-Physician Relationship 3/15/2022
- Internists Say President Biden’s Health Care Proposals are Promising 3/2/2022
- Joint Statement Opposing Texas Efforts to Interfere in the Patient-Physician Relationship and Criminalize Gender-Affirming Care 2/28/2022
- Group of 6 Funding Request Letter Regarding Medicare Sequester, Telehealth, COVID-19 Preparedness, Conrad 30 Reauthorization 2/8/2022
- ACP Statement for the Record to the United States House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Hearing on "Bridging Health Equity Gaps for People with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions” 2/4/2022
- ACP Statement to the Energy & Commerce Committee on Legislation Reauthorizing User Fee Agreements 2/3/2022
- ACP Statement for the Record to the House Ways and Means Committee on "America's Mental Health Crisis" 2/2/2022
- ACP Letter of Support for the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Implementation Act 2/2/2022
- ACP Statement for the Record to the Senate HELP Committee On “Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Responding to the Growing Crisis” 2/1/2022
- Joint Letter in Support of the Women’s Health Protection Act 2/1/2022
- ACP Comments on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2023 Proposed Rule 1/27/2022
- ACP Letter of Support for H.R. 3614, the Menstrual Equity For All Act of 2021 1/25/2022
- Joint Letter to Congress Urging Action to Extend MPFS Payment Adjustments Through 2022 11/29/2021
- ACP Comment Letter to Senate Leadership and Committees in Support of Key Provisions in the House-Passed Build Back Better Act 11/23/2021
- ACP Comment Letter to Congressional Leadership and Committees in Support of Key Provisions in the Build Back Better Act 11/3/2021
- ACP Letter for the Record on the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act 10/25/2021
- ACP Statement to Senate Finance Committee Regarding Hearing on Health Coverage in America: Current and Future Role of Federal Programs 10/20/2021
- ACP Comments on Requirements Related to Air Ambulance Services, Agent and Broker Disclosures, and Provider Enforcement Proposed Rule 10/18/2021
- Joint Letter to Administration Leadership Urging Increased Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccines to Office-Based Physicians 10/13/2021
- ACP Letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Opposing Texas Heartbeat (Anti-Abortion) Law 9/26/2021
- Joint Letter to Congressional Leaders Supporting Maternal Health Provisions in Build Back Better Act 9/17/2021
- Joint Letter Supporting Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Eligibility Provisions in Reconciliation Package 9/14/2021
- Joint Letter to Members of the House and Senate with Priorities to Strengthen Access to Care and the Nation's Health Care Infrastructure 9/14/2021
- Leading Physician Groups Oppose Texas Legislation That Threatens Access to Reproductive Patient Care 9/2/2021
- Joint Letter to Congress Urging Budget Reconciliation Legislation to Include Lowering Prices of Insulin and Other Prescription Drugs9/1/2021
- ACP Letter to the Senate Finance Committee with Recommendations for FY2022 Budget Reconciliation 9/1/2021
- ACP Letter to the Ways and Means Committee with Recommendations for FY2022 Budget Reconciliation 9/1/2021
- Internists Say Texas Law Violates Patient Autonomy and Egregiously Harms the Patient-Physician Relationship 9/1/2021
- ACP Letter to the Energy and Commerce Committee with Recommendations for FY2022 Reconciliation 9/1/2021
- Joint Letter to HHS about Primary Care for America and the Value of Primary Care Medicine 8/24/2021
- ACP Comment Letter Regarding the Updating Payment Parameters 2022 Proposed Rule 7/28/2021
- ACP Statement to Senate HELP Committee Regarding Request for Information (RFI) about a Public Insurance Option Key Design Considerations 7/22/2021
- ACP Letter of Support for Dr. Gupta to Director of the Office of National Drug Policy 7/15/2021
- ACP Letter to Senator Wyden regarding Principles for Drug Pricing Reform 7/2/2021
- Joint Letter to Congress Recommending Improvements to Medicaid, CHIP, and Private Insurance Coverage 6/30/2021
- ACP Written Comments to House Select Committee on Coronavirus Crisis Hearing The Need to Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy 6/29/2021
- ACP Says Supreme Court Decision on ACA Protects Health Care for Millions 6/17/2021
- ACP Written Public Testimony for the Record Supporting Adequate Veterans Health Care Funding for FY2022 6/4/2021
- Joint Letter to HHS Requesting Review of the Recent NASEM Report on Primary Care 5/21/2021
- Joint Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2022 Supporting Funding for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical and Prosthetic Research Program 5/21/2021
- ACP Written Testimony for the Record to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for FY2022 5/19/2021
- ACP Comments on HHS Proposed Rule to Reverse Title X Restrictions and Increase Access to Reproductive Care 5/17/2021
- ACP Letter to Congressional Leadership in Support of Provisions in the Biden's American Families Plan 5/13/2021
- Joint Letter to Senate in Support of the Equality Act 5/13/2021
- ACP Statement for the Record to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Legislation to Lower the Costs of Prescription Drugs 5/4/2021
- ACP Letter of Support for S. 1024, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act 4/17/2021
- Stakeholder Letter in Support of HR 958, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act 4/15/2021
- Joint Letter to Congressional Appropriators Urging Increased Funding for the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services Block Grant 3/25/2021
- ACP Statement for the Record-Energy & Commerce Hearing on Building on the ACA 3/23/2021
- ACP Support Letter for the American Dream and Promise Act, H.R. 6, Which Would Provide the “Dreamers” A Pathway to Citizenship 3/16/2021
- ACP Support Letter to the U.S. Senate for Key Health Provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, H.R. 1319 3/5/2021
- Joint Letter from America’s Frontline Physicians to Biden Administration on Priorities to Improve Health and Health Care 2/17/2021
- ACP Letter to House Veterans’ Affairs Committee In Support of Reconciliation Recommendations for VA Funding 2/10/2021
- ACP Letter to W&M Committee Markup Supporting COVID-19 Access to Care Proposals 2/9/2021
- Joint Letter Urging Biden Administration to Expand Postpartum Medicaid Coverage 2/5/2021
- Internists Support Biden Administration's Actions to Begin to Improve Access to Health Care 1/27/2021
- ACP Comment Letter to CMS on Medicare Part B Most Favored Nation IFR 1/25/2021
- Internists Say Initial Steps of Biden Administration Will Improve Health in the U.S. 1/21/2021
- Joint Letter to Biden-Harris Transition Team Supporting Comprehensive Health Coverage Policies in COVID-19 Relief Legislation and Executive Orders 1/19/2021
- ACP Letter Regarding the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2022 Proposed Rule 12/30/2020
- ACP Letter to President-Elect Biden Regarding Policy Recommendations for the New Administration 12/10/2020
- Internists Say Upholding the ACA is Critical to the U.S. Health Care 11/10/2020
- Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership and Secretary Mnuchin Supporting Comprehensive Coverage Provisions in the COVID-19 Relief Legislation 10/1/2020
- Internists Say Delivery of Mail-order Prescriptions is Critical 8/17/2020
- Joint Letter to Congress Supporting Comprehensive Health Coverage in COVID-19 Legislative Package 8/11/2020
- ACP Comments to the Department of Treasury on Section 213 of the Internal Revenue Code 8/10/2020
- ACP Objects to U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Allowing Employers to Decline to Cover Contraceptive Methods 7/8/2020
- Joint Statement from Women's Health Groups, Medical Groups on June Medical Services v. Russo 7/2/2020
- ACP Letter to House Sponsors of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 1425) 6/29/2020
- ACP Supports U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Services 6/29/2020
- Amicus Brief Regarding California v. Texas 5/13/2020
- ACP Written Testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, Supporting Adequate Veterans Healthcare Funding for Fiscal Year 2021 3/18/2020
- Joint Letter of Support for the Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act of 2020, H.R. 6159 3/9/2020
- ACP Comments on FDA Drug Importation Proposed Rule 3/3/2020
- ACP Comment Letter on Benefit and Payment Parameters Proposed Rule for 2021 3/2/2020
- Internists Say Court Decision to Uphold Title X Changes Will Harm Patient-Physician Relationship 2/26/2020
- ACP Letter To Ways And Means Committee On Surprise Billing Act of 2020 2/14/2020
- Joint Letter Supporting Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act 1/21/2020
- ACP Letter to House and Senate Leaders regarding ACP’s New Vision for US Health Care 1/21/2020
- Internists Say Court’s Decision on ACA Potentially Could Put Health Care for Millions at Risk 12/19/2019
- Internists Pleased that Federal Spending Bills Fund Key Health Priorities, Call on Congress to Act on Other Critically Important Issues 12/17/2019
- Internists Commend Policies in Lower Health Care Costs Act to Improve Health, Increase Transparency 12/11/2019
- Internists Concerned Proposed Ohio Legislation Would Harm Patients, Infringe on Patient-Physician Relationship 12/04/2019
- Tramadol Rescheduling Letter to Barr and DEA 11/21/2019
- ACP Letter to Senate Committees on HELP and Aging Urging Reauthorization of Older Americans Act 11/19/2019
- ACP Letter to Ways and Means Committee on Surprise Billing 10/23/2019
- Joint Letter from Physician Community to the U.S. House of Representatives on Surprise Billing 10/16/2019
- Joint Letter from Physician Community to the U.S. Senate on Surprise Billing 10/16/2019
- ACP Letter to House and Senate Armed Services Committee Opposing Cuts to Military Health Service Positions 9/26/2019
- ACP Comment Letter to Speaker Pelosi regarding the Release of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act 9/26/2019
- ACP Letter to House and Senate Leaders on FY 2020 Legislative Priorities 9/20/2019
- Internists Encouraged by House Plan to Require Negotiation and Transparency in Prescription Drug Pricing 9/20/2019
- Joint Support Letter: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2019 9/9/2019
- Administration’s Denial of Funding for Women’s Health Care Clinics Puts Access to Care for Millions at Risk 8/20/2019
- ACP Comments regarding the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019 7/24/2019
- ACP Letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in Support of Preventing the Administration’s Title X Rule 7/23/2019
- Joint Letter to Senate on FY 2020 Title X Appropriations 7/3/2019
- ACP Letter to Key Committees on Surprise Billing Principles 7/2/2019
- Joint Letter Endorsing Legislation to Remove Cost Sharing Obligations from Chronic Care Management Code 6/25/2019
- ACP Supportive of Executive Order Requiring Transparency of Health Care Costs 6/25/19
- ACP Comment Letter to the Senate HELP Committee Regarding the Revised Surprise Medical Billing Provisions of the Lower Health Care Costs Act, S. 1895 6/21/2019
- ACP is “Greatly Concerned” About Court Decision to Allow Implementation of Physician Gag Rule 6/21/19
- ACP Comment Letter to the Senate HELP Committee Regarding the Bipartisan Discussion Draft of the Lower Health Care Costs Act 6/5/2019
- ACP Letter of Support for S. 898 the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act 6/4/19
- ACP Letter to Reps. Pallone and Walden on “Surprise Billing” Discussion Draft, the No Surprises Act 5/28/19
- Group of Six Statement on Protecting Transgender Patients and Women's Reproductive Health 5/28/19