Pryce Lauds Passage of Measure to

September 27, 2006

Pryce Lauds Passage of Measure to
Strengthen Children’s Hospital Program

Legislation will Support Columbus Children’s Hospital Training Programs; Heads to President’s desk

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) hailed House passage of the Conference Report to the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Support Reauthorization Act of 2006 ( H.R. 5574), legislation ensuring that our nation’s network of children’s hospitals are treated equitably in the federal GME funding program. Columbus Children’s Hospital has benefited profoundly under CHGME, and received roughly $9 million under the program last year.

“Children’s hospitals around the nation are training America’s next generation of pediatric doctors, and the CHGME program ensures that our nation’s best and brightest medical students are drawn to pediatric medicine,” said Pryce. “Without this program, children’s hospitals would face an unsustainable financial disadvantage against other hospitals. Today’s vote ensures that these institutions will continue their teaching programs and other essential missions. The children's hospital GME program is an essential investment in children’s health, providing stability and cost-certainty for the future of children’s hospitals.”

“Children’s Hospital is grateful for the strong leadership of Congresswoman Deborah Pryce in securing passage of this important legislation,” said Bill Byers, Vice President for External Relations at Columbus Children’s Hospital.

Pryce has been a recognized leader in the effort to change a law which prior to 1999, provided physician training funding only to hospitals that treated Medicare patients, thus excluding children’s hospitals. Under the CHGME system, children’s hospitals train a large portion of the future pediatric workforce – almost 30% of pediatricians and 50% of pediatric specialists. Today’s vote authorizes record levels of funds to the program in the amount of $330 million, and extends this funding system through Fiscal Year 2011.

From 2000 to 2005 under CHGME, Columbus Children’s:

Increased physicians trained annually by 126%.
Increased residency and fellowship programs from 13 to 29, including starting programs in areas of local and national shortage such as pediatric endocrinology, surgical critical care, child neurology, and child abuse and neglect.
Initiated programs for primary care in underserved urban and rural communities.
Maintained its core missions of patient care and research. Because CHGME has provided for the costs of residency training just as the federal government has always done for adult hospitals, these improvements in education and training of physicians for children have not come at the expense of patient care or research.

H.R. 5574 now heads to the President for his signature.