AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and AAMC Chief Public Policy Officer Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, issued the following statement about proposed policies within the budget reconciliation legislation currently before the U.S. House of Representatives that impact access to care for patients across the country, the accessibility of medical school, and the work of medical schools, academic health systems, and teaching hospitals:
“The AAMC remains deeply concerned by the many harmful policies currently being considered by the House of Representatives as part of their budget reconciliation bill.
The legislation passed by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce last week included detrimental changes to the Medicaid program that would result in the loss of coverage for 8.6 million people, limit access to care, and weaken the health care safety net. The final reconciliation package now being debated by the House is more harmful, as it accelerates and increases cuts to the Medicaid program and could also result in roughly $490 billion in Medicare cuts over the next 10 years. These policies will ultimately result in even more people losing access to care than previously estimated. Likewise, the elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program and increased restrictions on medical residents' eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness will make it harder for patients to get the care they need by undermining the ability of future physicians to attend medical school. We also have concerns that a number of the new or expanded tax policies included within the bill would further strain the budgets of academic health systems, teaching hospitals, and medical schools that support critical education, research, and patient care.
The AAMC urges House members to vote against the bill in its current form. We encourage the Senate to ensure that any budget reconciliation bill does not damage the nation’s health care infrastructure at the detriment of the health of patients, families, and communities nationwide.”