“While the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion have increased access to health care coverage, the rapidly increasing cost of health care, particularly the cost of prescription drugs, threatens to undermine the expansion in coverage. This financial pressure is a real concern for many Americans, one which affects the choices they make about their health and medical care.
“The AAFP appreciates that President Trump highlighted the high cost of prescription drugs and the importance of Americans having access to affordable, innovative, and high-quality health care.
“Family physicians are on the front lines of America’s health care system and see this financial tension playing out in their practices every day as they manage the chronic conditions of their patients. Diabetes is a prime example of this, with patients unable to afford their insulin or rationing it in order to make it last longer. We continue to see the devastating effects of delaying or declining prescribed medications and needed treatments because patients can’t afford them.
“Research published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine puts a fine point on this, suggesting that insured adults have been visiting primary care physicians less often, and this decline may be partly explained by financial deterrents. While skipping primary preventive health care may be penny-wise for now, it’s pound-foolish for the future.
“A health care system that is comprehensive and prioritizes primary care must also emphasize the cost and affordability of care. As our policy states, the AAFP recognizes that health is a basic human right for every person, and that right to health includes universal access to timely, acceptable, and affordable health care.
“The AAFP is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to needed care and affordable coverage. We will continue to advocate for meaningful affordable health care for all.”