Association of American Medical Colleges Issues Statement on Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- The Association of American Medical Colleges issued the following statement by President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch regarding the inclusion of a proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate in the Senate tax reform legislation:

"The AAMC is deeply disappointed that Senate Republican leadership has decided to put the health and well-being of millions of Americans at risk by proposing to repeal the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate as part of their tax reform package.

"According to the Congressional Budget Office, a repeal of the individual mandate would result in 13 million more individuals without insurance by 2027. The nation's medical schools and teaching hospitals know first-hand that patients without insurance are more likely to forgo preventive care, leading to potentially more complex and costlier treatment when they do eventually seek out care.

"America's teaching hospitals will continue to provide care for all Americans, regardless of their level of coverage. However, increasing the numbers of uninsured patients without corresponding support for the safety net will threaten both urban and rural providers, creating a ripple effect on regional health care networks.

"We urge senators to work to ensure that this provision is not included in any final tax reform legislation."

This document was posted showing the date: Nov. 15, 2017.