One national priority currently emphasizes the necessity of confronting terrorism. Concurrently, both President Bush and Congress recognize that the ongoing health care needs of the American public should not be neglected. In the President's FY 2003 budget proposal, fighting bioterrorism is a primary mission of the Department of Health and Human Services, as is increasing access to health care for all Americans. An essential element for achieving both goals is having well-trained health professionals to bring quality care to all citizens. Unfortunately, the President's budget is lacking in this respect insofar that it proposes to eliminate the very programs that are designed to increase and improve the health care workforce.
Specifically, the President has proposed a 72 percent reduction for health professions education programs that are designed to improve the quality, distribution, and ethnic diversity of the nation's health care workforce. These programs establish solid infrastructures through which health care professionals can gain access to the newest emerging techniques and information such as how to prepare for a possible bioterrorism event. If enacted, the proposed cuts also will decimate systems already in place.
The portion of the legislation that affects a great many kinds of health professions, the Section 755 Allied Health Grants Program under Title VII of the Public Health Service Act, will not receive any funds in the upcoming new fiscal year unless Congress ignores the President's request. Currently funded at a level of $9.5 million, this program has been successful in increasing: the number of health professionals who receive geriatric training, the number of practitioners who are members of minority groups, and the number who work in underserved rural and urban areas.
While the health care portion of the proposed federal budget is being promoted as an effective approach to providing care to the uninsured and those who lack access, such improvements to the health care system will be ineffective without an adequate cadre of well-trained allied health professionals to deliver the care. In creating a budget for next year, it is essential that Congress acknowledge that access to health care for all Americans is a national priority. This goal will not be realized, however, without addressing the serious shortage of allied health providers such as medical technologists and radiologic technologists. Congress must restore funding for the Title VII health professions programs for this nation to meet current and future health care needs.