MSDC Supports $245 Million Health Care Omnibus Amendment

In a letter to DC Councilmember David Catania, who is chair of the Committee on Health, the Medical Society voiced strong support for “The Community Access to Health Care Omnibus Amendment Act of 2006,” but expressed a need for more detail on how the $245 million will be spent and the implementation of a competitive bidding process.

“Overall, we are very supportive of this legislation and believe it will have a meaningful impact on the health status of the residents of Eastern Washington,” said MSDC Board Chair Peter E. Lavine, MD, “but a quarter of a billion dollars is a lot of money and more detail on how it will be spent will better ensure this initiative’s success.”

In the letter, MSDC also applauded the following components of the legislation:

• It will ensure that tobacco settlement funds will be used to improve the health of those most in need.
• It places emphasis on tobacco cessation and the prevention of cancer and chronic disease.
• It calls for a study to determine whether EMS should be separated from the Fire Department – the Medical Society has long supported that EMS exist as an independent department.
• It calls for significant improvements in the emergency room capacity at Howard University and Greater Southeast Community Hospitals.
• It establishes a regional health information organization.