President
Bush's budget weakens health enterprise of the nation;
Proposals don't serve interests of American people, says
the Association of Academic Health Centers
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "The President's
budget weakens the health enterprise of the nation on
many levels," says Steven A. Wartman, M.D., Ph.D.,
president of the Association of Academic Health Centers.
"While hard choices are certainly in order, it is clear
that expanded access to care, health professions
education, biomedical research, and patient care
services are pillars of the nation's health and
well-being. Cuts in funding to the agencies and
programs-from the National Institutes of Health to
Medicare and Medicaid-that ensure the nation's
preeminence in all aspects of health are not in the
short-term or long-term interests of the American
people," adds Dr. Wartman.
"This budget presents
untenable choices," says Wartman, pointing particularly
to the freeze on funding for the National Institutes of
Health, and greatly reduced funding for programs in the
Health Resources and Services Administration. The impact
of the budget cuts to these agencies is profound. The
cuts will reduce the nation's ability to maintain
cutting edge research on treatments and cures for many
diseases, eliminate needed funding for health
professions education other than nursing, limit access
to care for the medically underserved, decrease funding
for graduate medical education programs in children's
hospitals, and adversely impact health care in rural
America.
These cuts, when
considered in light of the other proposed cuts in
Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health
Insurance Program, have the AAHC greatly concerned that
there will be erosion of both access and quality in the
nation's health care. "These proposed reductions are not
in the best interests of all who depend on an effective
health care delivery system. Quality health care depends
on a well educated workforce, effective services, and
accessible care-all guided by leading research. The
Association of Academic Health Centers will work to
promote these priorities in the allocation of public
funds for our nation's health care system," says Wartman.
The Association of
Academic Health Centers is a national, non-profit
organization dedicated to improving the health of the
people by advancing the leadership of academic health
centers in health professions education, biomedical and
health services research, and health care delivery.