Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2009—AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., issued the following comments on President Obama's budget blueprint, released today:

"America's medical schools and teaching hospitals are pleased that President Obama views health care reform as one of the nation's top priorities this year. We agree that the current challenges of cost, quality, and access facing our health care system must be addressed immediately. This includes making vital investments to ensure that our nation's health care workforce has both the skills and the capacity to care for all Americans.

It was gratifying to see that the new administration will use eight principles to guide its health care reform efforts. These principles adhere very closely to those developed by the nation's medical schools and teaching hospitals last year to guide America's discussion of health care reform. We concur that affordable health care coverage should be available to all, that our system should be restructured to promote wellness and prevention while still providing high-quality, cost-effective treatment, and, most importantly, that health care financing should be sustainable, equitable, and accountable.

The AAMC and its members also believe the key to achieving comprehensive reform is to support and preserve the greatest strengths of our current system, while making improvements to health care delivery and financing. We agree with the need to reduce waste and inefficiency in our system, but at the same time, these savings should not undermine the ability of our teaching hospitals and physicians to care for their communities.

U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals play a pivotal role in improving the health of our nation. These institutions train tomorrow's doctors, treat large numbers of uninsured Americans, and advance care through groundbreaking cures and treatments. With a concerted national effort from the public and private sectors, we believe the goal of affordable, quality health care can be achieved in the coming years. We stand ready to work with Congress and President Obama to attain the positive changes needed for successful reform."

For a copy of the "AAMC's Principles for Reform of U.S. Health Care: A Guide for Policymakers," go to: www.aamc.org/reformprinciples

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The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association representing all 131 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 nearly 90 academic and scientific societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC represents 128,000 faculty members, 75,000 medical students, and 110,000 resident physicians. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.

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