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Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals Support Health Coverage for All Children

AAMC Backs National Town Hall Meeting on Children's Health Coverage

For Immediate Release

Press Release

Contact: Nicole Buckley
202-828-0041
nbuckley@aamc.org

National Campaign Press Release

Sign Petition Supporting Children's Health Coverage

Washington, D.C., January 11, 2007--AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., issued the following statement today in support of the National Town Hall Meeting on Children's Health Coverage:

"The AAMC strongly supports the Campaign for Children's Health Care, an effort to make health care coverage for all of America's children a top national priority.

U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals provide a critical safety net for uninsured persons of all ages through wellness programs, free community health clinics, pediatric immunizations, and hospital care. Although they account for only six percent of all hospitals in the country, AAMC-member teaching hospitals provide nearly half of all hospital charity care to the poor and uninsured.

For America, it is a tragedy to have so many children who lack health care coverage. We must work together to make sure that all children have access to affordable, quality health care. They are our future. The AAMC, representing the nation's medical schools and teaching hospitals, urges policymakers and healthcare leaders to take meaningful steps toward a solution. Today's town hall meeting is an important step in the national dialogue to bring attention to the crisis of uninsured children."

View an archived Web cast of the National Town Hall Meeting on Children's Health Coverage.

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The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association representing all 129 accredited U.S. and 17 accredited Canadian medical schools; nearly 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems, including 68 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and 94 academic and scientific societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC represents 109,000 faculty members, 67,000 medical students, and 104,000 resident physicians. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.