Rep Al Edwards supports encouraging more primary care physicians to help solve the healthcare crisis

As the national debate over health care reaches a critical stage, State Rep. Al Edwards and the State of Texas have already taken strides in making one of President Obama's key objectives a reality. At a recent health care Town Hall meeting hosted by President Obama in North Carolina, President Obama touched on a largely unspoken but critical aspect to healthcare access that affects large portions of our population...the shortage of primary care physicians. Without access to primary care physicians and preventative healthcare many people unwisely let health issues escalate into danger zones, thereby stressing their health to limit, as well as their finances. Earlier this year, Rep. Edwards undertook efforts in addressing this issue by passing Doctor Shortage Loan Assistance Legislation- H.B. 2154 in the recent Texas legislative session.

ENTER H.B. 2154 by Rep. Al Edwards
Under H.B. 2154, Rep Al Edwards has taken a step towards helping the country's health care system on the state level and increasing the country's health as a whole by passing an enhancement of the Physician Loan Repayment Program. The bill will provide loan repayment assistance in an amount up to $160,000 in exchange for 4 years of service to primary care physicians who agree to serve in underserved areas of the state including inner cities and rural areas. This will help bring up to 900 new doctors to these urban and rural areas.

This bill is monumental because it precisely addresses the crisis at hand...medical students now face student loan debts sometimes in excess of $160,000 upon entering practice. Therefore the students end up choosing more highly paid specialties in order to pay off their debt. This bill will help pay off their debts in near totality for them, by simply having them commit to serve in doctor shortage areas, areas in dire need of doctors. This ends up being a win-win for both the doctors and the people in that area because now they are able to receive more of the critical preventive care which is the forte of primary care physicians.

Healthy lives are the cornerstone of communities and we all must do our part to make our lives better. Rep. Edwards has received awards across the state for his leadership and commitment to helping achieve these goals and continues to do his part to accomplish the goals set out by President Obama in improving healthcare.

For more information on the statewide attention that the issue of encouraging more primary care physicians has received, please see press coverage in the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHmqMJxzfQw


http://healthaccessfortexas.org/news-releases/texas-legislature-gives-final-approval-to-historic-doctor-shortage-bill/

http://www.tafp.org/news/newsReleases/09FPsApplaudRepEdwards.pdf

http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=5460

http://www.connectamarillo.com/news/story.aspx?id=299277

http://www.texasinsider.org/?p=9109

http://healthaccessfortexas.org/news-releases/governor-perry-signs-historic-physician-loan-repayment-bill

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/052009/new_news14.shtml

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/052009/sta_441884663.shtml

http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=5463

http://www.mcdonaldpr.com/PDF%20Support/PR.5.29.Houston1.pdf

http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/rosenberg/

http://www.tafp.org/News/stories/09.06.01.1.asp

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/05/26/tobacco_tax_bill_clears_senate.html

http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/06/29/story6.html

http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/81st_legislature/

http://www.hcms.org/Template.aspx?id=800

Rep Edwards Passes HB 2154 to Increase Primary Care Access in Texas

TEXAS ACADEMY of FAMILY PHYSICIANS
12012 Technology Blvd, Ste 200, Austin, TX 78727 | (512) 329-8666, fax (512) 329-8237

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Jonathan Nelson
Phone: (512) 329-8666, ext. 26


Rep. Edwards Increases Access to Primary Care Across Texas


The Texas Academy of Family Physicians applauds Rep. Al Edwards and his efforts to bring primary care physicians to underserved communities across Texas. With his bill, House Bill 2154, Rep. Edwards demonstrates his commitment to the health and well-being of all Texans.

“We’ve had no better advocate than Rep. Al Edwards,” said Robert Youens, MD, president of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. “He knows that the best way to make sure Texans in underserved, urban neighborhoods and rural communities alike have access to the care they need is to bring more primary care physicians to those areas.”

Studies show that having more primary care physicians in a community leads to a decrease in the number of costly hospital admissions and emergency room visits, and patients receive better health outcomes at lower costs.

But Texas faces a severe shortage of primary care physicians. More than half of Texas’ counties need more primary care physicians, and the problem is only getting worse.

Chief among the multiple factors contributing to Texas’ shrinking supply of primary care physicians is the cost of medical school. Faced with such high medical school debt, many doctors forego practice in underserved areas, like inner city Houston.

H.B. 2154 would provide up to $160,000 in debt relief for primary care physicians who agree to practice for up to four years in health professional shortage areas.

“Rep. Edwards has a keen understanding of the health care crisis facing not just his constituents in urban Harris County, but all of Texas,” said TAFP CEO Tom Banning. “House Bill 2154 creates a new, substantial loan repayment program to relieve medical students from the crushing debt they incur in medical school, producing the kinds of physicians Texas needs to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time in the right setting.”

Family physicians and their patients appreciate Rep. Edwards’ consistent dedication to solving health care issues facing Texas. TAFP looks forward to working with Rep. Edwards to ensure that all Texans have access to primary care.

As Texas’ largest medical specialty organization, TAFP promotes and assures the maintenance of high-quality health care. It provides its members with a unified voice for family medicine and continues to be one of the most patient-oriented public health groups in Texas.