AOA opposes Graham-Cassidy bill

AOA President Mark A. Baker, DO, has released the following statement regarding the AOA’s opposition to the Graham-Cassidy bill:

“The American Osteopathic Association recognizes the many challenges our health care system faces and is supportive of improvement efforts. As an organization representing nearly 130,000 osteopathic physicians, medical students and the patients they serve, the AOA cannot support the Graham-Cassidy bill because it fails to uphold the policies adopted by our physician leaders that promote patient access to high-quality care.

These policies are centered on patients’ ability to access the care they need, while promoting a continuous, comprehensive care model that will improve patient outcomes and lower health care costs.

We continue to support and advocate for guaranteed essential health benefits, protections for our patients with pre-existing conditions, and affordability for all Americans. Health care reforms should build on these advancements.

We cannot support proposals that roll back the progress made to improve access and the quality of health care in our country. Yet we recognize the need for additional reform. Therefore, we encourage Congress to find a bipartisan solution with stakeholders to enact sound policies that not only focus on controlling the ever-increasing cost of healthcare, but also strengthen patient protections and improve access to care.”

Further reading

Click here to see a side-by-side comparison of the Graham-Cassidy bill, the Affordable Care Act and AOA policy positions adopted by the organization’s DO leadership.