SAN ANTONIO -- Healthcare is a basic human right and there should be a "publicly funded universal primary care program," according to resolutions adopted Wednesday by the American Academy of Family Physicians Congress of Delegates here.
The healthcare-as-right resolution stated that the AAFP "recognize that health is a human right for every person, not a privilege." It was amended to clarify "that the right to health includes universal access to timely acceptable and affordable healthcare of appropriate quality" and was passed with resounding applause.
In addition, a resolution in support of developing policy language to support a "publicly funded universal primary care program" and to survey chapters about a "legislative approach to promotion" was also quietly adopted without any floor debate.
Other resolutions adopted swiftly supported scrapping the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' "three-midnight referral" rule and stopping unsolicited requests for compound topical medications.
But a proposal to back public funding for abortions proved more problematic for delegates.
A resolution to repeal the so-called Hyde Amendment, the law banning federal funding for abortions, was brought forward for discussion on the floor at the request of Patricia Williams, MD, a delegate from Kentucky.
If adopted, the proposed policy, sponsored by the California chapter, would have allowed the AAFP to endorse the idea that "women receiving healthcare paid for through health plans funded by state or federal government who have coverage for continuing a pregnancy also should have coverage for ending a pregnancy."
Passing the resolution would also have authorized the AAFP to "engage in advocacy and lobbying efforts" to repeal the law.
Initially, the AAFP's reference committee on advocacy suggested that the resolution not be adopted but rather reaffirmed because "items are current policy or are already addressed in current projects." (Each committee issues detailed recommendations following discussion of each potential policy.)
However, after some floor discussion and a standing vote -- where members literally stood up and were counted -- the abortion resolution was referred back to the board for further study.
Also referred to the board was a resolution urging that the AAFP support "loser pays tort reform" policies.
Testimony earlier in the week signaled that such policies might "inadvertently limit access to the judicial system" for low-income patients, the committee's report noted.