House and Senate Committees Hold Hearings on Healthcare Priorities

Over the last two weeks, healthcare committees in the House and Senate held multiple hearings on healthcare issues, including many focused on AACOM priorities:

• On May 12, 2023, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hosted a field roundtable at the Morehouse School of Medicine to identify solutions to address the healthcare workforce shortage, raise the number of Black Americans in the medical field, increase access to primary care and improve health outcomes for Black Americans. For more information, view AACOM’s testimony for the record and hearing summary.
• On May 17, 2023, the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care explored ways to improve healthcare access in rural communities given provider shortages, hospital closures and other challenges. Subcommittee members and hearing witnesses discussed how being from a rural area and receiving training in a rural setting strongly influence practice in these areas. They emphasized the importance of programs such as HRSA’s Rural Residency Planning and Development Program, which has led to the creation of more residency slots in rural areas. For more information, view AACOM’s testimony for the record and hearing summary.
• On May 17, 2023, the Senate HELP Primary Health & Retirement Subcommittee examined opportunities to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder care through continuity of care and community-based solutions. Subcommittee members and witnesses highlighted the fentanyl epidemic, youth mental health crisis and rural health access issues. There was bipartisan consensus about the importance of finding solutions and addressing the current mental health crisis. View AACOM’s summary.