Questions about Family Medicine GR issues in IL?  Contact Gordana Krkic 

View IAFP's Power Point presentation that outlines family medicine and primary care's vital role in public health outcomes.  You can also learn more about the many ways Illinois Academy of Family Physicians is contributing to better health and health care policies in our state.  Click here for the Power Point.  

IAFP Leaders take family medicine message to US Capitol- IAFP sends leaders to AAFP Family Medicine Congressional Conference May 19-20 click here for story and pictures

Spring into Action - Family Physicians head to the State Capitol

• Click here to view photos. 
• Recap of meetings 
• Testimonals 
  • First time attendee, Michael Fessenden, MD Click here  
  • For Dr. Ravi Shah, IAFP's resident board member Click here
  • This was Dr. Soujanya Pulluru's first time attending SIA. Click here  

Medicare SGR 

Physicians still face a cut of more than 10 percent--scheduled to go into effect on July 1--and another steep reduction in 2009 unless Congress acts. 

• MEDICARE PAYMENT ISSUE AAFP’s #1 FOCUS AAFP has put up a new "Medicare Alert" feature on the home page of AAFP.org from now until July with a "Keep the Door Open" theme. The feature includes an actual door that members can click on to enter the Medicare section (on the right side of the main page, underneath member log-in). The direct link is http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/federal/medicarecut.html. 
•  Send us your personal story: How are declining Medicare payments hurting your patients and your practice?  What have you had to do as a result of the payment decline?  Write to AAFP at ann@aafp.org or IAFP at vkeenan@iafp.com. 
• Click here to view Academy in Action video 

• LISTEN:  Podcast from IAFP board chair, Kathleen Miller, MD of Decatur about what we can do now.  Click here 

  AUDIO CLIPS - How will the Medicare cuts affect specific communities here in Illinois?

  • IAFP Board President Steven D. Knight, MD of Harrisburg

  • IAFP Board Chair Kathleen Miller, MD of Decatur

  • IAFP Second Vice President David J Hagan, MD of Gibson City

IAFP Leaders join AAFP's Family Medicine Congressional Conference in Washington, DC  Read more

Dr. Steve Knight comments on Medical Liability Caps Ruling.  Read more 

Learn more about Illinois Health Connect - Medicaid's Primary Care Case Management Program 

• Fact Sheet - click here 

The Illinois Academy of Family Physicians and All Kids, Medicaid and Your Healthcare Plus – the Primary Care Case Management Program. Read more

Contact Your Legislator

Contact Your Legislator - AAFP's Speak Out Service can help contact your state and federal legislators.  Click here to find out topics of concern and how to contact your legislators. Watch a YouTube video made by a FP that shows you how to use Speak Out click here.  

Track Health Policy as it Happens.  The free service features web casts, daily news summaries, a national health policy calendar, searchable archives and more.  Sign up to receive e-mail delivery of the services at www.kaisernetwork.org/email 

• Monitor current legislation

• Find out contact information for all members of the General Assembly

• Find out when bills will be heard in committee hearings

• Find out the final vote on bills you care about and how your legislator voted

Become an IAFP Key Contact - - We need a family physician in every legislative district ready to answer the call and speak up for family medicine to support or stop a bill in Springfield .  For more information and a sign up form, click here.

Tobacco Issues

AAFP offers Tobacco Cessation resources for patients online Go to www.askandact.org for resources you can use to help your patients kick the habit.  Materials include posters, patient education materials, provider toolkits and information on reimbursement.

Federal Issues

For policy studies on primary care and family medicine, plus fascinating one-pagers to share with decision makers and colleagues, the AAFP's Robert Graham Policy Center is one stop shopping.  Go to http://www.graham-center.org/

Link to www.aafp.org/policy to read about federal issues 

Links

Cook-Witter Inc. - Find out what is happening in Springfield, IL .

AAFP Policy page - Hop onto the American Academy of Family Physicians' Policy page and find even more information relating to family practice and government relations.  Find out what is happening in Washington DC.

Capitol Fax - Home page designed to be your first stop to get just about any info you want on Illinois politics and government. 

Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services   You can access Kid Care info and applications 

Illinois Department of Public Health 

Illinois Department of Professional Regulations:   Access licensure information through this website.

Illinois General Assembly - Use this improved site to track specific bills and committee hearings, find your legislator, even make your own "personal list" of legislation to track throughout the session.

U.S. Congress

House of Representatives

Senate