Failure to prevent these complications results in increased costs of medical care and loss of productivity. They are up to four times as likely as insured patients to require both avoidable hospitalizations and emergency hospital care. ACP-ASIM is calling on all presidential and congressional candidates to commit themselves to either creating or supporting a plan within their first year of taking office following the 2000 elections to assure that all Americans have health insurance. ACP-ASIM is the nation's largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physician group. Membership comprises more than 116,000 internal medicine physicians and medical students.
Internists are the major providers of medical care to adults in America.