Media Contact
Pete Thomson
Chief Communications Officer
American Medical Student Association
Email: pr@amsa.org
AMSA Statement on CHAMPION Act: Public Health and Prevention Cannot Be Sacrificed to Fund Other Programs
STERLING, Virginia – November 1, 2017 – Today, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) sent a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi regarding H.R. 3922, the Community Health And Medical Professionals Improve Our Nation Act of 2017 (CHAMPION Act).
The bill aims to reauthorize funding for critical health care programs, including a five-year extension for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP funding expired at the end of September, leaving nearly 9 million children and families uncertain about their coverage. The legislation also seeks to extend funding for vital health care workforce programs, such as the National Health Service Corps, which supports primary care providers in underserved areas, and Teaching Health Centers for Graduate Medical Education, which was established under the Affordable Care Act to create new community-based primary care residency programs in medically underserved regions.
However, the bill proposes to offset these essential funding extensions by cutting the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) by nearly 75%. The PPHF is a major funding source for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), supporting crucial public health initiatives such as immunization programs and stroke and heart attack prevention. It also provides funding for various programs within the Department of Health and Human Services, including those under the Administration for Community Living and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
AMSA recognizes that the rising burden of chronic disease has placed an enormous strain on the U.S. health care system, compromising its ability to deliver high-quality care. The importance of preventive health initiatives cannot be ignored, as they reduce long-term health care costs and improve patient outcomes. Strengthening public health and primary care infrastructure is essential, and proven strategies for chronic disease prevention and management must continue to receive adequate support. Cutting preventive health funding to sustain other vital programs is a shortsighted approach that undermines long-term health outcomes.
About the American Medical Student Association:
AMSA is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online.
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