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. Senate:
“As the Senate moves to consider its budget reconciliation legislation, we again strongly urge policymakers to reject harmful proposals that would cut Medicaid funding, limit access to health insurance marketplace exchanges, and lead to millions of people losing health coverage and access to care. We also encourage policymakers to reject provisions that would limit federal student financial aid for aspiring physicians, particularly at a time with a persistent national physician shortage. This pending bill would have devastating consequences for patients and communities across the country.
The proposed policies do not exist in silos. Many patients beyond Medicaid enrollees would be affected by these actions. Patients would experience the consequences of intensifying the physician shortage by limiting access to student loans, not just medical students. These policies would put undue pressure on the ability of our nation's academic health systems, teaching hospitals, and medical schools to perform their core missions: providing patient care, educating and training the next generation of physicians and other health professionals, conducting life-saving medical research, and strengthening their communities. Additionally, these policies would undermine institutions' ability to continue driving local economic growth and employing millions of people nationwide. Those enrolled in Medicaid and many more would feel those effects.
We urge the Senate to reject these harmful provisions and instead pursue policies that would meaningfully protect the health of the American people and sustain and strengthen our nation’s health care infrastructure.”