In 2024 ACPM will prioritize the following policy issues:
ACPM WILL TAKE ACTION ON THESE CRITICAL ISSUES TO:
- Advocate for increased funding and support of the preventive medicine pipeline by educating Congress and the Administration of the untapped dividends realized through training preventive medicine physicians and their impact on the health system through pandemic preparedness and other public health priorities.
- Advocate for expanded funding levels to support all certified preventive medicine residency programs in the Health Resources and Services Administration fiscal year 2024 and 2025 budget to address our nation's shortage of preventive medicine physicians.
- Increase engagement with other government entities, including the Veterans' Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to support preventive medicine residency programs and expand opportunities for collaboration.
- Advocate for increased federal funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health departments to support public health readiness, preparedness to protect the public in the face of ongoing pandemic disease, support efforts to decrease chronic disease and address other health threats.
- Advocate for technologically advanced, science-based, evidence-supported public health policy and infrastructure development and decision-making processes at all levels of government. Such as:
- Supporting the goals of the National Vaccine Plan and other vaccination initiatives.
- Supporting data modernization efforts that support science-based policy through information-based sharing.
- Advancing efforts to counteract and prevent medical misinformation and disinformation.
- Advocate for policy and practice that supports health equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and justice, including measures to combat systemic racism.
- Advocate for the support of local and state health departments' work in community outreach in prevention efforts for chronic disease and health promotion.
- Advocate that preventive medicine physicians (M.D. and D.O.) receive and maintain the same unrestricted license as other specialties in all jurisdictions because we have completed the same education, exams and minimum residency training as other specialties.
- Advocate that Preventive Medicine trained physicians should be leaders and subject-matter experts in the public health workforce.
ACPM WILL ACTIVELY WORK WITH KEY PARTNERS TO:
- Support the use of the Prevention and Public Health Fund for preventive services and programs as originally intended.
- Increase support for the National Institute of Health (NIH) Office of Disease Prevention and the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
- Support health care reform efforts that maintain support for disease prevention and health promotion programs and adhere to ACPM's Principles of Health Reform, including:
- Maximizing health care coverage through insurance or government-delivered programs.
- Retaining established current patient protections, including prohibitions on exclusions for pre-existing conditions and prohibitions on benefit caps.
- Ensuring a viable safety net that includes appropriate resourcing of and eligibility for Medicaid, Medicare and the Children's Health Insurance Programs.
- Supporting first-dollar public and private insurance coverage of recommended clinical preventive services.
- Support health care reform efforts that maintain support for disease prevention and health promotion programs and adhere to ACPM's Principles of Health Reform, including:
- Support advocacy for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight of tobacco-containing products, e-cigarettes and associated products, and support efforts to implement community-based tobacco prevention and cessation efforts including:
- Prohibiting access and marketing to those under the age of 21;
- Regulating the ingredients and chemicals, including regulating nicotine levels, menthol and other flavor additives, included in combustible and e-cigarette products; and
- Limiting exposure of combustibles and e-cigarette products in public and high-risk environments.
- Advocate for public health engagement and action on climate change including adoption and implementation of effective mitigation and adaptation measures, including prioritizing investment in public health preparedness, surveillance, education, training and research.
- Support action related to climate change and pollution that prioritize equity and/or encourage healthy lifestyle activities.
- Support increased funding of the HHS Office - U.S. Global Change Research Program as well as the HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity.
- Advocate for a new federal Farm Bill that prioritizes public health by increasing nutritious food programs, reduces local and global pollution (including climate change gasses) and increases protections of agricultural workers.
- Support efforts to protect the health of individuals and reproductive rights.
- Ensure individuals' access to comprehensive, coordinated and high-quality reproductive health services that includes education, emergency short and long-term contraception and comprehensive family planning services.
- Support advocacy for healthcare financing policy that prioritizes value of investments in health, including a focus on prevention, population health, health equity and social determinants of health in public policy to ensure that ACPM's Pillars of our Health System are enacted.
- Support efforts to advance evidence-based policy that prevents violent death and injuries in communities around the country.
- Support research on the prevention and consequences of firearm violence and unintentional gun-related injury on public health and safety.
- Support efforts to educate Congress and the Administration on the potential of lifestyle medicine and support federal legislation, funding and reimbursement and policy positions that support science-based integrated care models that incorporate prevention through the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine.
- Support efforts to fund programs and training in the field of addiction medicine and substance use prevention and treatment and related behavioral health conditions.
- Support efforts to increase voting access and voting participation based on numerous studies demonstrating the association between increased voting participation and improved health outcomes.
- Strongly oppose any government or regulatory policy that censors, limits or restricts peer-reviewed, evidence-based communications in the setting of the patient-doctor relationship in the provision of medical care and public health.
- Support peer-reviewed, evidence-based research, information dissemination, community outreach, education and treatment for medical conditions and preventive care for the LGBTQIA+ populations.