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20 February 1998 The Hon. Bill Frist, M.D. Dear Senator Frist: On behalf of the members of NAGEC, and in consultation with our Legislative Affairs Committee, we wish to commend you for introducing reauthorization legislation entitled "The Health Professions Education Partnerships Act of 1998." We are especially appreciative of having had the opportunity in April 1997 to testify before your subcommittee. Thus, seeing the nation’s 43 Geriatric Education Centers (GECs) in your bill (as Sec. 753 within a grouping of programs labeled "Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages") is indeed gratifying, as this signifies your commitment to better health care for older Americans. We believe the rationale for maintaining a federal presence in the health of our seniors via GECs is simply this: 1. a major imbalance exists in the number of health professionals adequately trained in geriatrics in relationship to the rapidly growing number of older Americans; and 2. since 1984 GECs have proven to be a cost-effective way of providing health professionals with added qualifications to render better care to their older patients. Since the specific amount of not less than $26,353,000 is given for Sections 753-755, we wish to communicate to you and to those of your colleagues in the Senate and House Appropriations Committees our concern that all 50 states be served by GECs. Presently, there are 43 GECs in 31 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico who comprise our organization. However, due to recent limited budgets, only 30 GECs are fully funded. Our best estimate is that there are 10 of the 19 states without GECs who do not receive any coverage. Furthermore, the 13 GECs without federal funds operate on very limited budgets that greatly constrain their ability to cover their own service areas much less others. Based on figures provided us by staff at the Health Resources and Services Administration, ensuring that all 50 states receive adequate coverage by a full complement of federally funded GECs would cost only about $13,000,000 for FY ’99, or about $4 million more than the FY ’98 figure. Thus, we bring these figures to your attention as the reauthorization legislation proceeds and in anticipation of discussion among the various appropriation committees. The figure of $13,000,000 seems small, but would allow our nation’s health science centers to continue providing professional development opportunities in geriatrics for a national workforce of health care professionals better able to care for our burgeoning older population. Senator Frist, again we thank you for your interest in making sure that all Americans, regardless of age, have access to well qualified health care professionals. As we near the end of an incredible century of American progress, it is unfortunate that many of our very young, our very poor, and our very old still do not. They and many more are counting on men and women like you who are in positions to make a difference. Please let us know if we can be of any assistance to you and your committee on this important piece of health legislation.
Sincerely,
Robert E. Roush, Ed.D., M.P.H. President
CC: The Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison The Hon. Arlen Specter The Hon. Harry Reid The Hon. Henry Bonilla |
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