ACT NOW: Protect America’s Young People By Ensuring They Have Quality Pediatric Hospital Care – Urge

Dear Friends,

Pediatric Resident With Young Person © 2011, ISU Family Medicine

Closing the achievement gap also includes eliminating the lack of access to pediatric health care among American young people. Conversely, maintaining that very access to pediatric health care depends on a prepared pediatric workforce.

Tell President Obama to reauthorize funding for the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Payment Program (CHGME) in the 2013 budget. This is a cut we can’t afford to make. The pediatric residents and pediatric resident specialists who rely on CHGME funding ensure access to quality pediatric health care for American young people.

Eliminating the CHGME would have a lasting negative impact. For example, poor health trickles down to an ineffective learning day for millions of K-12 students, mainly from indigent and immigrant families. The CHGME helps ensure young people receive the care they need to remain healthy and enter the school day prepared to learn.

ACT NOW and protect America’s young people by urging President Obama to support the workforce who serves their pediatric care needs.

Sick Young Person In School ©iStockphoto.com/bonniej

ACT NOW (Closed)

Note: The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions and the National Association of Children’s Hospitals – the public policy affiliate, provided the letter below. I made minor changes to the letter below by removing the words “children” and “kid” for “young people” and you may edit that for yourself or send as is.

Sincerely,

Stephen McDow

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Dear President Obama,

As you prepare your 2013 budget, it is absolutely imperative that funding is maintained for the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education program. CHGME supports the training of 40 percent of pediatricians in our country – nearly 5,600 per year – and has broad bipartisan support. This program is so important to our nation’s children’s hospitals and the millions of young people they serve. By cutting funding for this program, you risk young people across the country being denied access to the care they need and deserve. Simply put, less pediatric specialists means longer wait times and a lower quality of care.

Last year, you attempted to eliminate funding for this program. Luckily, Congress was able to restore the majority of funding so this important program can continue. You should not risk our young person’s health by cutting CHGME as an attempt at minimal savings in your budget.

I appreciate your attention on this matter.

Sincerely,

Your Name

ACT NOW (Closed)

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