TAFP wins AAFP advocacy award

The Texas chapter collected some new hardware at AAFP’s 2010 State Legislative Conference in New Orleans, La., Nov. 12, winning the Academy’s Leadership in State Government Advocacy award. The Kansas and Indiana chapters joined Texas in receiving the award for successes in their respective state legislatures.

TAFP won the award in recognition of the chapter’s work in the passage of a new physician education loan repayment program that could potentially bring more than 200 primary care physicians to underserved areas each year. The program provides up to $160,000 in loan repayment to physicians who agree to practice in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas throughout the state.

TAFP CEO Tom Banning accepted the award and gave a presentation to conference attendees from all parts of the country on the political efforts required to pass the legislation.

This is the second time TAFP has won the state advocacy award. The chapter claimed the prize in 2007 for its news coverage during the 80th Texas Legislature.