Media Contact
Daniel H. Gouger, M.D.
Education & Advocacy Fellow
American Medical Student Association
Email: [email protected]
The Senate Republicans’ version of a health care bill—crafted in secrecy and unveiled last week—is expected to be voted on before the July 4 holiday. While legislative aides dissect its language, doctors, medical students, and other health care providers have gathered on Capitol Hill with a unified and clear message: Patients must always come first.
WASHINGTON, DC – June 26, 2017 – Former Vice President Joe Biden is known for saying, “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value,” a phrase he attributed to his father. After a series of closed-door meetings that felt more like an operation in oligarchy, a core group of Senate Republicans has finally revealed their priorities through the public release of their latest legislative effort.
Calling this bill a health care measure is misleading. The disregard for the well-being of millions of Americans is evident, all in an effort to fulfill a campaign promise. Tearing apart communities and blocking access to care in exchange for tax cuts has nothing to do with justice, liberty, or fairness—it is deliberate and calculated.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has scored the bill, projecting that 22 million people would lose health insurance. The proposed legislation includes deep Medicaid cuts and a phase-out of the program’s expansion, a key element of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Every member of our community—children, low-income workers, aging baby boomers in long-term care, individuals with disabilities, women, and those facing mental health and substance use challenges—deserves equitable, affordable, and comprehensive coverage that truly qualifies as health insurance. No matter the numbers, political spin, or attempts at negotiation, the reality remains: Dismantling Medicaid and ACA protections will leave millions without coverage in the years ahead.
During a White Coat Press Conference hosted by the office of Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D., his message, along with those of other Congressional leaders, including Rep. Ami Bera, M.D., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, was clear: The American health care system still needs improvement, but progress like essential health benefits and expanded coverage that saves lives cannot be reversed. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer rallied the gathered doctors, medical students, and providers, declaring, “The White Coats are coming!”—a powerful historical nod to the urgency of the moment as the Senate prepares to vote on this bill just before the Independence Day recess.
These health care advocates traveled from across the country, many coming straight from overnight shifts and preparing to return to full patient schedules. Wearing the iconic white coats that symbolize medicine’s values of trust, compassion, and a commitment to health equity, their message was simple: “Do no harm; patients always come first.”
AMSA supports health care reform that expands comprehensive coverage and access for all people in the United States. In the absence of a single-payer system, AMSA views Medicaid expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as a crucial step toward broader access to care and health insurance. Join us in organizing, mobilizing, and demanding that our senators and representatives reject these cuts and protect the foundation of a healthier America.
About the American Medical Student Association:
AMSA 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. To learn more about AMSA, our strategic priorities, or joining the organization, please visit us online.
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