AAFP Federal Advocacy Update, November 2022

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) federal advocacy team shares an update about Medicare payment cuts, Medicaid and CHIP coverage, telehealth flexibilities, scope of practice legislation, integrated behavioral health and investment in primary care.

MN Physicians Urge Minnesotans to Get Vaccinated

Earlier this week, MAFP member and former Minnesota House Representative Alice Mann, MD, MPH, joined a group of Minnesota physicians and health care workers from across the state at Hennepin Healthcare Clinic & Specialty Center in Minneapolis. The group shared stories to help shed light on what’s happening in Minnesota hospitals (with the current surge and capacity and workforce issues) and asked Minnesotans to, once again, help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Addressing the factors contributing to physician burnout

While there is not a singular cause for burnout, family physicians from across Minnesota have voiced shared concerns around payment and reimbursement models, prior authorization, patient documentation and anti-science rhetoric. The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians are working to address these concerns.

We Must Do Something About Physician Burnout, Depression & Suicide

In the past four months, the Twin Cities physician community has lost several of our own to suicide. Tragically, we are not alone—about 300-400 physicians in the U.S. die each year from suicide, with physicians facing a suicide risk nearly 2-3 times higher than the general population.

Now more than ever, it’s critical for health care clinics/hospitals/systems, payers, physicians and more to come together to address burnout and the increase in physician suicide. Not only do we need to normalize physicians seeking help for mental health concerns and remove stigma and punishments, but we also need to recognize that our healers are human too and they need support like everyone else.