OME Advocate Newsletter

Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and James Risch (R-ID) reintroduced a bipartisan resolution designating April 15-21, 2024, as National Osteopathic Medicine (NOM) Week. NOM Week recognizes the service and dedication of DOs and schools of osteopathic medicine nationwide. The Senate unanimously passed the resolution on April 23.

The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine extends its gratitude to Senators Manchin, Wicker, Heinrich, Capito and Risch for their unwavering commitment to osteopathic medicine. As the number of osteopathic physicians grows, so does our holistic approach to wellness, making it more available to patients everywhere. This bipartisan resolution, coupled with the nationwide recognition during National Osteopathic Medicine Week, significantly amplifies the profile and contributions of the osteopathic profession throughout the United States.

Read the full text of the resolution.

With bipartisan support of the Community TEAMS Act in both the Senate and House, we are one step closer to expanding clinical rotation training opportunities in community-based settings for all third- and fourth-year medical students, especially in rural and medically underserved areas. The list of Community TEAMS Act cosponsors continues to grow with the additions of Representatives Byron Donalds (R-FL), Donald Davis (D-NC), Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Chris Pappas (D-NH).

In addition to the more than 40 national and state organizations signed on to AACOM’s coalition support letter for the Community TEAMS Act, organizational support for the legislation continues to strengthen with the support of the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges. Learn more about the important bill and view Community TEAMS Act sponsor Senator Bob Casey’s one pager for more information.

Urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor the Community TEAMS Act to support increased funding for community-based training opportunities for medical students!

Take Action!

• On April 25, 2024, the House Appropriations Committee released strict guidance and deadlines for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Community Project Funding (CPF) requests and all FY25 Member requests. The deadlines are as follows:
• Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 6:00 PM ET for programmatic and language requests.
• Friday, May 3, 2024, at 6:00 PM ET for CPF requests.
• Friday, May 17, 2024, at 6:00 PM ET for Members to post CPF requests on their websites, following a two-week technical assistance period.
• Colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) are encouraged to consider submitting a CPF request. These requests (aka earmarks) can support healthcare, education and other allowable investments subject to the guidelines provided by the House.
• The House is not allowing CPF requests for certain subcommittees, including House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education. Further, some individual Members of Congress will not be accepting requests. COMs should check with their House members for participation and eligibility requirements and deadlines.
• Project funding may not be directed to for-profit institutions. Non-profit entities, public institutions and state, local and tribal governments are eligible to participate, although non-profits are restricted from receiving funds from the subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies or the Economic Development Initiative under the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies. A submitted request does not guarantee funding. View a full list of eligible funding accounts.
• Many COMs have received funding over the years so don’t miss this funding opportunity! View a complete list of FY24 funded projects, and learn more about the breadth of projects specific to medical institutions.

• Late last month, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a delay in the reporting requirements related to the Financial Value Transparency (FVT) and Gainful Employment (GE) regulations until October 1, 2024, to give institutions of higher education additional time to assemble the reporting data.
• The FVT/GE final rule was published in October 2023 and was set to go into effect on July 1, 2024. Institutions are still able to start reporting their GE/FVT data through the National Student Loan Data System on July 1, 2024, but they now have until October 1, 2024, to provide all necessary reporting.
• AACOM and the American Council on Education have sent letters on March 14, 2024 and April 22, 2024 to ED Secretary Miguel Cardona, asking for delays in the FVT/GE reporting requirements.
• ED created a FVT/GE topics page, including information on a May 1, 2024, webinar.

• On April 10, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled its FY25 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule. Comments are due June 10.
• For graduate medical education (GME), CMS is proposing a distribution methodology for the 200 residency slots created under Section 4122 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. This provision dedicates at least one-half of the total number of positions to psychiatry or psychiatry subspecialty residencies.
• CMS also proposes modifications to the criteria for new residency programs and solicits feedback on specific questions related to these provisions.
• A detailed AACOM analysis is forthcoming. Please notify us at aacomgr@aacom.org if you plan to submit comments to CMS.

• On April 19, 2024, ED released its long-awaited Title IX final rule, overhauling how institutions of higher education handle cases of sexual harassment and assault.
• The final rule was officially published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2024, and will take effect on August 1, 2024.
• Of note, the final rule includes a new definition of sexual harassment, extends jurisdiction to off-campus sites and clarifies protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. Further, the final rule eliminates the mandate of a live hearing with cross examination.
• We encourage interested stakeholders to register for a free webinar on April 29, 2024 at 2:00 PM ET, hosted by our coalition partner, the American Council on Education.

• On Thursday, April 18, 2024, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that the application and review process for fellowship grants will be updated to reduce the burden on candidates and ensure that applicants from smaller schools, early-career mentors and qualified students with less-conventional academic backgrounds are fairly evaluated.
• An evaluation of the application and review process concluded that too much weight was given to sponsor-seniority and the reputation of the sponsor and sponsoring institution, in addition to undergraduate grades. These efforts help reduce NIH research grant funding inequalities.
• According to NIH Director Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, “NIH is potentially leaving out promising scientists for training opportunities due to a process that too heavily favors elite institutions and senior sponsors who are well known. This has led to an overly narrow emphasis on traditional markers of early academic success. These changes are aimed at improving the path for talented scientists who might not be recognized under the current system.”
• AACOM continues to work to ensure NIH funding and representation is reflective of the OME workforce. AACOM submitted comments to the NIH’s request for information on this policy last spring and encouraged the NIH to mitigate bias in the grant application and review process. Last fall, AACOM submitted similar comments to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s request for information on NIH reform.
• The changes to the fellowship grant application and review process will be effective for fellowship applications due on or after January 25, 2025. Learn more.