The AAMC May 20 joined a community letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-Okla.), thanking them for providing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program with $71.95 million for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The funding level constitutes a $16 million (28%) increase over FY 2019 enacted levels.
CDC REACH is the community health program funded by the CDC that is specifically dedicated to urban, rural, and tribal communities working to lessen and eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. The REACH program currently funds 31 recipients, including academic medical centers and community partners, to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic minority populations with the highest burden of chronic disease.
The AAMC May 21 also joined the American Indian/Alaska Native Health Partners in submitting a written statement to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies advocating for increased funding for the Indian Health Services (IHS). The testimony encourages the subcommittee to:
- Increase the Health Professions account, which provides scholarships, loan repayment, and training to providers serving American Indian communities by $32,300,000 to $89,363,000;
- Increase funding for housing for health care providers by $30,000,000 to $89,363,000; and
- Increase funding for medical equipment by $10,000,000 to $33,706,000.