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The American Medical Association announced on November 13th that they
support passage of the Community Choice Act! They are joining the American
Hospital Assocation, America's Health Insurance Plans, and over 600 other
national, state and local orgnaizations supporting real choice for people
who need attendant services and supports!
FREE OUR PEOPLE!
Here is their press release, or you can go to:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/18143.html.
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AMA adopts new policies on disabled patient care and medical student loan
deferment
e-mail story | print story
For immediate release
Nov. 13 2007
AMA supports reforms for disabled patients: The AMA passed new policy
supporting Medicaid reforms that would provide disabled patients with equal
access to home and community-based services so that they can live as
independently as possible. The AMA supports passage of congressional
legislation, the Community Choice Act of 2007, that would achieve these
goals. This policy was recommended to the AMA by the American Academy of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Association of
Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine.
"People with disabilities who rely on Medicaid should not have to choose
between the important care they need and the ability to live independently,"
said AMA Board Member Rebecca J. Patchin, MD. "We support Medicaid reforms
so that disabled patients, together with their physicians, can decide where
the best place is to receive medical care and support based on patients'
individual needs."
AMA fights for continuation of medical student loan deferment: To help
alleviate the high debt burden for many medical residents, the AMA passed
new policy supporting reinstatement of the economic hardship loan deferment
option that many residents rely upon. The loan deferment program, known as
the "20/220 pathway," allows medical residents to defer payment on their
loans for up to three years during their residency training based on
economic hardship. Congress must act to permanently restore loan deferment
for medical residents. The AMA also supports alternate mechanisms that
better address the financial needs of medical residents.
"The average medical student graduates with a debt of more than $130,000.
Making it harder for residents to pay back this high debt can deter young
physicians from going into primary care medicine or practicing in
underserved areas where American patients desperately need them," said AMA
Board Member Samantha L. Rosman, MD.
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For more information, please contact:
Melissa Smith
AMA Media Relations
(312) 464-4443
Last updated: Nov 13, 2007
Content provided by: Media Relations
NATIONAL ADAPT MAILING LIST - Adapt Community Choice Act List
http://www.adapt.org
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