Congress saw students, physicians and other healthcare industry stakeholders lobby for expanded coverage of the uninsured last week as part of the American Medical Association's national health advocacy efforts.
The 2007 National Advocacy Conference, held February 12 to 14 in Washington, attracted hundreds of physicians, students, lawmakers and a host of speakers, including MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews, Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Debbie Starnow (D-Mich.) and Reps. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ).
Lobbying for coverage of the uninsured was a focal point of the conference, at which attendees also discussed stricter tobacco laws, a repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula for physician reimbursements, and proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
The week began with more than 300 American Medical Association medical students and residents from across the country visiting 200 members of Congress to urge they pass legislation to provide healthcare for all Americans.
"Covering the uninsured is a top priority for the AMA, and we're asking Congress to enact true reforms to ensure that all Americans have the healthcare coverage they need, starting with supporting legislation to expand coverage to kids and working families," said AMA board member Chris DeRienzo, a fourth-year medical student from Duke University School of Medicine. "Nearly 47 million Americans, including more than 8 million children, are living without health coverage. This is a national tragedy, and the AMA is committed to helping make it right."
Also on the students' list for advocacy is reform to the Medicare physician payment system and debt relief to help cover the more than $130,000 in student loans accrued by the typical medical student, according to AMA. "This high cost of medical education often affects graduates' career choices, forcing them away from practicing medicine in underserved areas or practicing primary care medicine," DeRienzo said.
AMA President William G. Plested III, MD, said on the AMA Web site, "If this week's National Advocacy Conference helped organized medicine accomplish anything, I hope it served as a reminder that we as physicians have myriad opportunities to advocate for solutions that can reform our nation's healthcare system and improve access to care for millions of patients."