AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) Chief Public Policy Officer Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, issued the following statement on the budget resolution set for consideration by the U.S. Senate:
“As the Senate considers its fiscal year 2025 budget resolution, we urge lawmakers to safeguard and ensure access to care for millions of hardworking Americans by rejecting policies that could result in substantial reductions in federal health care programs and restrict access to federal student financial aid for the next generation of physicians. AAMC-member academic health systems, teaching hospitals, medical schools, and their affiliated physician faculty practice plans serve a vital and irreplaceable role in our nation’s health care infrastructure. This includes training future physicians and health professionals, delivering a comprehensive range of high-quality health services, and acting as a critical health care safety net that ensures care for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
We remain deeply concerned that the budget reconciliation process could eventually lead to unsustainable funding cuts to federal health programs, like Medicaid, that would endanger access to care for millions of patients and ability for health care providers to serve them. Additionally, threats to federal student financial aid programs that make medical school more accessible to all students could undermine access to physicians.
Instead, we urge policymakers to prioritize the health of all Americans by maintaining the federal government’s commitment to these essential programs; sustaining targeted financial support and sufficient reimbursement for safety-net providers; and safeguarding access to high-quality medical education through access to federal loan and repayment options.
Academic health systems, teaching hospitals, medical schools, and faculty practices across the country are dedicated to improving the health of the American people, and robust federal support is indispensable in achieving this mission. The AAMC and our institutions stand ready to partner with Congress to develop policies that preserve health care access in both rural and urban communities nationwide."