Boston, MA – The Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals’ Executive Director, Patricia McMullin, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget request. The budget proposes significant cuts to federal spending critical to teaching hospitals, including the National Institutes of Health, Medicaid, and graduate medical education.
“Once again, the President has proposed alarming cuts to federal spending that would have devastating effects on patients, families, and health care providers in greater Boston, across our Commonwealth, and throughout the country. The administration’s proposed $3 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health would impede scientific progress toward new and improved ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease, and erode the substantial economic impact that research investments have on local jobs and economies. Such a proposal runs directly counter to the recent trend of Congress to make strong, bipartisan investments in medical research. That trend must continue.
“We are also disheartened by the President’s continued efforts to consolidate the various federal graduate medical education programs into a single grant program with significantly reduced funding. These programs work together to ensure we have an adequate physician workforce, as well as provide needed additional support to the patient care missions of teaching hospitals. Reducing investment in educating the next generation of physicians would lead to fewer doctors, decreased patient access to care, and worse health for the Commonwealth and the nation.
“Finally, we are deeply concerned by the President’s proposals to slash funding for state Medicaid programs and implement harmful eligibility restrictions. Medicaid supports the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents, and ensures they have access to high quality, affordable medical care. Reducing funding for Medicaid reduces access to health care, plain and simple.
“COBTH urges Congress to reject these harmful cuts and work together to support critical funding streams, like the National Institutes of Health, Medicaid, and federal graduate medical education, which will bolster the next generation of medical breakthroughs, improve access to health care, and support our health care workforce needs.”
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