Doctors: 'Don't derail healthcare reform'

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WASHINGTON, March 27 (UPI) -- The Affordable Care Act resulted in major improvements in access and coverage for millions of U.S. adults seen by internists, a physicians' group says.

The American College of Physicians, which represents 132,000 internal medicine specialists and medical students, reported the Affordable Care Act has resulted in major improvements in access and coverage for tens of millions of Americans seen by internal medicine physicians.

"Considering that it is just a little over two years since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, and many of its programs are not yet fully effective, the law has had notable success in improving health insurance coverage," the group said in a statement. "Looking to the future, the ACA will ensure that nearly all legal residents in the United States will have access to affordable coverage beginning in 2014 -- if the law is allowed to be fully implemented."

The American College of Physicians did not submit an amicus brief on the constitutional questions under consideration by the Supreme Court because the group said its expertise is in evidence-based assessment of the policies required to ensure patients have access to health insurance, not in constitutional law.

"However, the evidence leads us to firmly believe that the law's programs to expand health insurance coverage are necessary to help protect and ensure the health of the American people," the statement said.

"The American College of Physicians fervently hopes that the Supreme Court will chart a course that does not derail implementation of the ACA's key programs to expand coverage, while responsibly carrying out the court's constitutional obligation to clarify the constitutional questions."