Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) issued the following statement for the record on the House floor regarding H.R. 1216, Convert Funding for Graduate Medical Education (GME) in Qualified Teaching Health Center from Appropriations to an Authorization:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 1216. As a declining number of physicians in our Nation are entering into primary care fields, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are working to pass legislation that will irresponsibly impede critical training of the next generation of primary care physicians.
“A primary care physician shortage is a very real and alarming problem looming before us. The Association of American Medical College’s Center for Workforce Studies anticipates a shortage of 45,000 primary care physicians and a shortage of 46,000 surgeons and medical specialists in the next decade.
“Since 1965, the Medicare Graduate Medical Education program, which has been supported by mandatory funding, has trained the majority of resident trainees across the country in a hospital-based setting. The Teaching Health Center program is the first medical graduate program of its kind to allow future physicians in primary care fields to train in the actual setting they will be practicing in – community-based health centers.
“My colleagues claim that converting the Teaching Health Center program from a mandatory appropriation to an authorization – subject to the annual appropriations process – will not endanger the program. We saw during the debate on the fiscal year 2011 budget that could not be farther from the truth.
“During that dreadful debate it became painstakingly clear that my colleagues know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing.
“Subjecting this program to the annual appropriations process will not allow for a predictable and stable funding stream needed to assist community-based health centers and resident trainees in planning and preparing for this training.
“We all recognize and agree with the need to reduce federal government spending, but making the Teaching Health Center program a pawn in the appropriations game is foolish at best.
“Further, I find it ironic that during debate in the Energy and Commerce Committee my colleagues expounded on their desires for more investment in our health workforce, yet at the first opportunity they are placing the Teaching Health Center program in the vulnerable position of future funding reductions.
“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1216 is another plank in the Republican’s repeal health reform platform. Passing this legislation will jeopardize funding for the Teaching Health Center program, further delaying the fundamental training needed for our primary care physicians.
“I urge my colleagues to stand up for the training of our primary care physicians and vote no against this reckless piece of legislation.”
The House passed H.R. 1216, as amended by a vote of 234-185.
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