USA's Medical Students To Lobby For Innovative Health Care Bill

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 19 Jul 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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On July 20, 2006, more than 150 medical student leaders from the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) will descend on Capitol Hill to lobby for the Health Partnership Act (S. 2772), a bipartisan bill that seeks to achieve affordable and sustainable health care for all Americans through a unique federal-state partnership within each state.

Introduced by Senators George Voinovich (R-OH) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) on May 9, 2006, The Health Partnership Act aims to give states the power to experiment with models providing quality health care while covering all their residents. This bill has already secured endorsement from a number of organizations including the Universal Health Care Action Network, National Association of Community Health Centers, American Medical Association, AIDS Institute and National Physicians Alliance. As part of the AMSA Lobby Day, chapter officers from Ohio and New Mexico will present Senator Voinovich and Senator Bingaman with the AMSA Vision Award for Innovative Leadership in Health Care Reform.

"We're excited about the opportunity AMSA chapter officers have to engage in the political process, said Jay Bhatt, AMSA's National President. "Now is the time for medical students to lead the movement for affordable health care for all Americans. We are already paying for 'health care for all' in the United States; we're just not getting it."

AMSA's Lobby Day enables medical student leaders to become an active part of policy making by visiting members of Congress and sharing their views on health care access for all. Lobby Day kicks off the three-day annual AMSA Chapter Officers' Conference July 20-23, 2006 -- a unique gathering of student leaders. Keynote speakers at the conference include Dr. Gloria WilderBrathwaite, a social justice activist, and Dr. Woody Kessel, Assistant Surgeon General.

For information about AMSA's Lobby Day, please visit:
http://www.amsa.org/coc

About the American Medical Student Association

The American Medical Student Association (AMSA), with more than a half-century history of medical student activism, 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. With nearly 65,000 members, including medical and premedical students, residents and practicing physicians, AMSA is committed to improving medical training as well as advancing the profession of medicine. AMSA focuses on four strategic priorities, including universal healthcare, disparities in medicine, diversity in medicine and transforming the culture of medical education.

American Medical Student Association
http://www.amsa.org

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