AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and Chief Public Policy Officer Karen Fisher, JD, issued the following statement about crucial health care provisions included in the Build Back Better Act:
“Unless lawmakers act, millions of people in the United States will struggle to access essential health care services due to health care workforce shortages, persistent gaps in Medicaid coverage, and the pending expiration of enhanced subsidies that make insurance coverage more affordable.
Congress has an obligation to invest in policies that would directly address these and other challenges and improve the health of patients and communities nationwide.
The Build Back Better Act would take historic steps toward alleviating the physician shortage, diversifying the physician workforce, improving access to care for people in underserved urban and rural communities, strengthening public health infrastructure, and addressing long-standing health inequities.
The AAMC remains committed to working with all members of Congress and the Biden administration to advance these priorities, and we urge the Senate to act without further delay. Time is not a luxury that the nation’s patients or our health care system can afford.”