[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 22512]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HEALTH CARE REFORM AND PRIMARY CARE

  (Ms. SCHWARTZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the importance of 
primary care in comprehensive health care reform. As we find a uniquely 
American solution for all Americans to have access to affordable, 
meaningful health coverage, we must remember that insurance coverage 
alone means little if patients do not have access to health care 
providers or health care services.
  Primary care providers are on the front line of the health care 
system, treating acute and chronic conditions and keeping costly 
conditions from worsening. Despite this essential role, it is primary 
care where we face the most acute shortages. Since 1998 the percentage 
of internal medicine residents choosing primary care has dropped from 
50 percent to 20 percent. By 2025, America will have a shortage of 
46,000 primary care providers.
  I have championed efforts to bolster our primary care workforce, 
including new loan-repayment programs and increasing payments for 
primary care providers, as well as elimination of copayments for 
preventive services for seniors and strengthening their ongoing 
relationship with their doctor.
  I am proud that the health care reform bill includes this essential 
reform. I look forward to action on health care reform that addresses 
primary care.

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