February 2017
As we all know, a lot has been going on in Washington. The new administration has signed a total of eight executive orders, and has issued a dozen presidential memorandums, with more on the way. Congress has also been busy proposing legislation and coming up with a plan to repeal and replace (or repair) the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For the sake of keeping this read manageable, the following will cover three topics: Affordable Care Act, Graduate Medical Education (GME), and Deferred Childhood Arrivals (DACA) legislation. These three topics will also be the ones that we will advocate for at the Medical Student Advocacy and Region Conference (MARC) happening March 9-11 in Washington D.C.
Educational materials for the three topics above will be coming soon. Be sure to check social media and email often.
Highlights of the conference include:
Sincerely,
Christopher Clifford, MSIV
Government Relations Advocacy Fellow
American Medical Association
T: (202)789-7424
christopher.clifford@ama-assn.org
- Graduate Medical Education
The AMA's SaveGME has been an effective grassroots advocacy campaign to avert GME cuts in the past couple years and we will continue to maintain this successful trend. No bills have been proposed in the new Congress thus far and the new administration has not alluded to any position on GME. We will continue to educate our legislators and remind them that protecting GME funding is extremely important, especially with a looming doctor shortage. - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals legislation
In light of recent presidential executive orders, DACA has been pulled into the national spot light. The AMA has come out with two letters in support of protecting DACA students from the threat of losing their DACA status. One went out to Congress on Feb 6 and another went to the Department of Homeland Security on Feb 1. A bill in Congress, known as the “Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy Act," (BRIDGE Act) is what we will be supporting at MARC. The AMA sent the sponsors of these bills letters of support on Feb 6. - Affordable Care Act
Congressional efforts to repeal and replace (or repair) the ACA is a hotly debated topic. Congress has been trying to come up with a replacement bill while simultaneously looking to repeal the current ACA. There have been some discussions over the past few weeks to move quickly to repeal the ACA, but nothing significant has happened. Speaker Ryan reiterated recently that the House will pass a repeal/replace bill this year, and we'll likely see things speed up in the upcoming month or two. The ACA will be a major topic of discussion during the MARC, as well as our congressional visits.- Two-night hotel stay with complimentary continental breakfast and planned social events at night
- Educational programming: includes effective lobbying techniques, advocacy, health policy and technology in health care
- Congressional visits: meet with your senators and representatives on Capitol Hill
- Region meetings and reception: discuss advocacy, policy and leadership goals with your AMA Medical Student Section region
- AMA Clinical Skills Workshop: hone your suturing skills, ultrasound techniques and more
- Washington Brief Archives
January 2017
November 2016
October 2016