ACS Views on Legislative, Regulatory, and Other Issues

Graduate Medical Education—

• Background
• Other Activity: COGME and MedPAC
• Resident Work Hours

• ACS letter to The Honorable Phil English on the Higher Education Act, 5/24/05
• Letter to The Honorable Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, 6/12/04 (Re: Comments on Proposed Changes to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems and Fiscal Year 2005 Rates, Proposed Rule [CMS-1428-P]
• ACS Letter to COGME on Workforce Study, 4/30/04
• Physician Coalition Senate Letter on Higher Education Act, 4/19/04
• Physician Coalition House Letter on Higher Education Act, 4/19/04
• ACS Senate Letter on Higher Education Act, 3/30/04
• ACS House Letter on Higher Education Act, 3/30/04
• Letter to Secretary Thompson on Unused Resident Positions, 3/8/04
• Letter to David C. Leach, 8/1/02
• Letter to David C. Leach, 6/6/02

May 24, 2005

The Honorable Phil English
U.S. House of Representatives
1410 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative English:

On behalf of the more than 66,000 Fellows of the American College of Surgeons, I am pleased to extend our support for H.R. 1380, the "Higher Education Affordability and Equity Act of 2005". This legislation would make higher education and careers in the field of medicine more accessible for all Americans.

As the cost of higher education continues to increase, more students must rely on student loans to finance their education and as a result graduates are becoming increasingly burdened with education debt. The average medical school graduate in 2003 had $109,457 in student loan debt – this has become a tremendous burden for young physicians, particularly while they are completing their residency program.

H.R. 1380 would help relieve this debt burden by repealing the $2,500 maximum deduction of student loan interest, increasing the income eligibility for interest deduction to $100,000 for single taxpayers and $200,000 for joint return filers, and allowing more graduates to take advantage of the deduction. In addition, the legislation includes savings accounts, Education IRAs, and prepaid tuition, which remove existing penalties for education savings and encourage students and parents to save for education expenses.

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization that was founded to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. We understand the value of education and the importance of making it an option for all Americans. As a nation, we must support students as they continue their education in any field.

Thank you for your leadership on this issue. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Thomas R. Russell, MD, FACS
Executive Director 

Revised May 26, 2005

ACS Views on Legislative, Regulatory, and Other Issues

Advocacy and Health Policy