What

Physician leaders from McAllen, Texas, and other border communities discuss the challenges of providing health care to patients at news conference. The physicians are calling upon President Obama to visit their communities to learn firsthand the struggles physicians face in delivering health care to the poorest and unhealthiest population in the nation. The region rates among the highest in the nation for residents who are living in poverty, uninsured, obese, and diabetic. The demand for health care is great. However, the region also has one of the lowest rates of physicians per capita to care for its poor and sick and to promote healthy behaviors and prevention of disease.

When

Tuesday, June 23, at 230 pm

Where

Longworth Building, 6th Floor, Room1629, Washington, D.C.

Who

Physicians leaders who care for Texas border patients.

Carlos Cardenas, MD, McAllen gastroenterologist Chair, Board for Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in McAllen, Texas; and member, Texas Medical Association (TMA) Board of Trustees

James Stewart, MD, McAllen internist President, HidalgoStarr County Medical Society, and member, TMA Council on Health Promotion and Border Health Caucus

Manny Acosta, MD, El Paso surgeon Chair, Border Health Caucus, and consultant, TMA Council on LegislationE. Linda Villarreal, MD, Edinburg internist Member, TMA Council on Legislation; delegate, Texas Delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA); district chair, TMA Political Action Committee; and member, Border Health Caucus