OME Advocate Newsletter
Delivered twice-monthly right to your in-box, AACOM's OME Advocate keeps you informed and involved in policy discussions and legislation around healthcare, medical students and osteopathic medical education.
|
Congressional Leaders Strike Deal to Avoid Partial Shutdown
On February 28, 2024, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other members of House and Senate leadership released a statement announcing an agreement to vote on six of the 12 full-year appropriations bills that were set to expire on March 1 and March 8. The House and Senate passed a fourth continuing resolution on February 29 to provide adequate time for the Appropriations Committees to prepare the bills and allow Members of Congress 72 hours to review the language.
The continuing resolution used a bifurcated structure with some bills expiring on March 8 and others expiring on March 22. The six-bill package to be voted on before March 8 includes funding for Agriculture-FDA; Commerce-Justice and Science; Energy and Water Development; Interior; Military Construction-VA; and Transportation-HUD appropriations bills. Congressional leaders expect the six remaining appropriations bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies bill, to be voted on and passed prior to the new March 22 deadline.
Join 12 Organizations in Urging Congress to Expand Community-Based Training for Medical Students
Since U.S. Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Ann Kuster (D-NH) introduced the Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (Community TEAMS) Act, H.R. 7258, on February 6, 2024, AACOM has been adding signers to its Coalition Letter in support of the legislation. Already, 12 organizations have signed on to the Community TEAMS Act Coalition Support Letter, including the National Rural Health Association. Building strong organizational support will be critical in advancing this important bill through Congress. Leaders can sign their organizations on to the letter using this form.
As momentum builds, we need your help to improve healthcare in rural and underserved communities. Through a new Health Resources and Services Administration grant program, H.R. 7258 will allow medical schools to partner with Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics and other healthcare facilities located in medically underserved communities to increase medical school clinical rotations in rural and underserved areas. Support increased funding for community-based training opportunities for medical students by urging your Members of Congress to sponsor or cosponsor the bill!
House Launches Bipartisan Task Force on AI
- In February 2024, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) established a bipartisan task force on artificial intelligence (AI).
- The 24-member AI Task Force, led by Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Ted Lieu (R-CA), will produce a report detailing policy proposals to ensure America is at the forefront of AI innovation and guardrails to protect against potential threats.
- In September 2023, the Senate convened a summit with technology leaders to discuss broad implications of AI.
Qualified Hospitals: Apply for CMS Residency Slots until March 31
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting applications from hospitals for its third round of new graduate medical education (GME) slots.
- CMS will award 200 new GME slots every year through 2026, totaling 1,000, under section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021.
- Section 126 requires hospitals to qualify in at least one of four categories to be eligible to receive additional residency slots. Hospitals must be:
- located in rural areas (or treated as being in one under the law);
- training a number of residents in excess of their GME cap;
- located in states with new medical schools or branch campuses;
- or serving areas designated as health professional shortage areas.
- A single hospital can receive a maximum of 25 additional resident cap slots and each category must receive at least 10 percent of the cap slots under section 126.
- The deadline for qualified hospitals to apply is March 31, 2024.
- The residency slots awarded under this round will be announced by January 31, 2025, and are effective July 1, 2025.
- Learn more about distribution criteria and instructions on how to apply.
Engagement and Resources
Register for Joint AOGME/GR Webinar on VA GME Partnerships: On April 5, 2023 from 12:00-1:00 PM ET, AACOM's Assembly of Osteopathic Graduate Medical Educators will be hosting a webinar to discuss upcoming opportunities for GME expansion funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Join Dr. Ryan Scilla, associate director of medical and dental education at the VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA), as he discusses the role of the OAA and the national scope and impact of VA health professions education. Learn more.
|
$3.5M Grant Continues Child Mental Health Investigation in the DRC: Researchers from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine have been awarded a $3.5M, five-year R01 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for their project, “Congolese mother and child mental health in response to early child development interventions.” Based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this study assesses the mental health benefits for mothers and children who participated in an earlier intervention study, in which mothers were trained weekly over the course of a year on practical strategies for enriching a child’s early learning environment in the home, as well as nutritional strategies for supporting optimal developmental and physical health. Read more about the project and how it builds upon previous studies to improve mental health outcomes.
|