During the week of June 2, AOA CEO Kathleen S. Creason, MBA, and AOA President Teresa A. Hubka, DO, FACOOG (Dist.), CS, participated in a series of high-level meetings on Capitol Hill to advance the AOA’s federal policy priorities and ensure the voice of osteopathic medicine is heard in key legislative discussions.
First, the AOA met with Senate Democratic leadership and health care stakeholders from across the country to discuss the proposed changes to the Medicaid program included in the Senate’s reconciliation bill (H.R. 1). The conversation focused on how these changes could affect patient access to care, and included broader discussions on aligning advocacy efforts across the health care community.
Dr. Hubka discussed the essential role osteopathic physicians play in delivering care to Medicaid patients, especially in underserved and rural communities where access is already fragile. With congressional negotiations on budget reconciliation underway, the AOA is working to ensure that any changes to Medicaid strengthen, not weaken, this vital safety net.
The AOA remains committed to working across party lines to protect physician practices, support the next generation of DOs and ensure that patients continue to have access to high-quality, physician-led care.