IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 173
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the unique and vital health care
services provided by osteopathic physicians must be included in any
health care benefits package developed as part of health care system
reform.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 4, 1993
Mr. BARCIA of Michigan (for himself Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr.
KILDEE, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. TOWNS, and Mr. WYDEN)
introduced the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the unique and
vital health care services provided by osteopathic physi-
cians must be included in any health care benefits pack-
age developed as part of health care system reform.
Whereas there exist two distinct branches of medicine in the
United States—osteopathic physicians, denoted by the
initials D.O., and allopathic physicians, denoted by the
initials M.D.;
Whereas osteopathic physicians comprise 5.5 per centum
(thirty five thousand) of all complete physicians in the
United States;
HCON 173 IH
Whereas each year over one hundred million patient visits are
made to osteopathic physicians;
Whereas the unique focus of osteopathic medicine, with its
guiding principle of treating the whole person, has rooted
the profession in a philosophy which emphasizes primary
care and prevention;
Whereas for more than one hundred years, the osteopathic
profession has trained more than 50 per centum of its
physicians in primary care areas;
Whereas policy makers agree that the number of primary
care physicians must be increased if appropriate health
care is to be made available to all Americans;
Whereas osteopathic medical education has a unique intern-
ship requiring a rotation in internal medicine, OB/GYN,
family practice and surgery, ensuring that osteopathic
physicians are first trained as primary care physicians,
regardless of whether one chooses to specialize;
Whereas, osteopathic physicians provide complete medical
care in all specialties with over half of the physicians cur-
rently practicing in primary care;
Whereas, osteopathic physicians comprise 15 per centum of
all physicians practicing in communities of ten thousand
or less, and 18 per centum of all physicians serving com-
munities of two thousand five hundred or less;
Whereas osteopathic physicians serve approximately one out
of every seven Medicare and one out of every four Medic-
aid recipients in the United States;
Whereas osteopathic physicians comprise 10 per centum of all
physicians serving in the military; and
HCON 173 IH
Whereas, despite their valuable contributions to the nation’s
health care, osteopathic physicians continue to experience
discrimination from some health care institutions and
managed care entities: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that any
legislation enacted to reform the health care delivery sys-
tem of the United States should include the services of-
fered by all of the Nation’s osteopathic physicians. Specifi-
cally, such legislation should:
(1) Ensure that any American included in the
health care coverage systems supported by the Unit-
ed States Government have the opportunity, without
restriction, to secure the services of an osteopathic
physician.
(2) Encourage and advance practices and prin-
ciples utilized by the osteopathic profession which
are proven to produce high numbers of physicians
trained in all areas of primary care.
Æ