America
US lawmakers praise role of Indian-American physicians
Washington, April 4
The Association of
American Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) welcomed the passage by the
US House of a bill that would reformulate how physicians are reimbursed
for Medicare, a government health insurance for seniors over 65.
If
approved by the Senate, the legislation would repeal the sustainable
growth rate (SGR) formula currently in use. The SGR formula places a cap
on spending for physicians services.
"We are extremely delighted
and grateful to the US Congress for passing this historic measure,"
said AAPI President Dr. Ravi Jahagirdar urging the US Senate to take up
the bill and pass it without delay.
Members of AAPI, the largest
ethnic organization of physicians, representing over 100,000 physicians,
fellows and students of Indian origin in the US, has been lobbying for
the repeal of SGR formula for years.
The passage of SGR bill came
March 26 as AAPI was holding its Legislative Day on Capitol Hill to
advocate and raise their voices for the larger physician community in
the US, according to a media release.
In her keynote address
Assistant Secretary of State, Nisha Desai Biswal, the Obama
administration's point person for South Asia, praised the Indian
American physicians and the broader diaspora community for their role in
fostering India-US partnership.
"AAPI has been a tremendous
organization for what you do here in the United States and for what you
do in India and for what you do to improve and extend the US-India
relationship," she said.
She acknowledged that, AAPI was one of the first Indian groups to recognize the need for outreach on the Hill.
Underscoring
the tremendous contributions of the Indian American physician community
in delivering the healthcare in the US, several US lawmakers praised
them for their hard work, commitment to patients and their constant
efforts to make health care affordable, accessible and efficient for
everyone in the US.
Ami Bera, the lone Indian American physician
in the US Congress, shared his own personal experience of growing up to
be a physician and how he got elected in a district that has only 1
percent Indian Americans.
"My story is your story and our story
is that of the entire nation," he said. "I want my legacy to be how the
generation is going to take us all to the next level and have many more
Indian Americans get elected to the Congress," he added.
"AAPI
has once again succeeded in bringing to the forefront the many important
health care issues facing the physician community and raising our voice
unitedly before the US Congress members," said Jahagirdar.