Originally at democrats.org
As 75 million Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to access primary care, Donald Trump and Republicans’ disastrous budget could exacerbate doctor shortages. By slashing access to student loans for medical students — just as Project 2025 instructed — Trump wants to make it harder to become a doctor. Whether it’s ripping away coverage or making care more expensive, Trump and the GOP’s relentless attacks are devastating working families’ access to quality, affordable care.
Donald Trump’s disastrous budget could make it harder to become a physician and worsen doctor shortages by fulfilling a Project 2025 goal of slashing federal student loans.
New York Times: “Trump Bill’s Caps on Grad School Loans Could Worsen Doctor Shortage”
“[T]he American Medical Association asked lawmakers to carve out exceptions in the law for medical education, saying that the current bill would deter good candidates from applying to medical school, discourage physicians from working in underserved areas and make medical school unaffordable for all but the very wealthy. …
“Ending federal involvement in administering and subsidizing student loans was one of the goals laid out in Project 2025 …
“By 2037, the United States is expected to face a shortage of 187,130 physicians, including 87,150 primary care physicians like internists and pediatricians who play a pivotal role in the early detection and management of chronic disease …
“Already, some 75 million Americans live in areas where it is difficult to get access to primary care. …
“At the same time, President Trump’s recent budget proposal would cut off funds used to train new pediatricians, who are already in short supply: It entirely eliminates funding for graduate medical education at 59 of the nation’s children’s hospitals, where more than half of all pediatricians and pediatric specialists are trained.”
From Day One, Trump has attacked Americans’ health care, working to rip away coverage from millions of Americans and make health care more expensive.
New York Times: “Millions Would Lose Their Obamacare Coverage Under Trump’s Bill”
“Millions of Obamacare enrollees would lose health coverage under the Republicans’ major policy bill, which would make coverage more expensive and harder to obtain. …
“C.B.O. estimates an additional 4.2 million Americans would lose coverage.”
Politico: “Senate Republicans are eyeing possible Medicare provisions to help offset the cost of their megabill …
“Senate Republicans are now seriously considering [Medicare cuts] as they race to pass their party-line tax and spending package before a self-imposed July 4 deadline. The idea came up in closed-door meetings this week and, crucially, some Republicans believe President Donald Trump is on board with touching the program”
The Hill: “Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday afternoon advanced legislation containing cuts to Medicaid and health care provisions — some of the most controversial and contentious provisions that will be included in the ‘big, beautiful bill’ of President Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda.”
White House: “The following executive actions are hereby revoked: …
“Executive Order 14009 of January 28, 2021 (Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act). …
“Executive Order 14087 of October 14, 2022 (Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans).”
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services: “Executive Order 14009 in 2021 established the policy objective to protect and strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and to make high-quality health care accessible and affordable for every American.”
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services: “President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14087, ‘Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans,’ to further address prescription drug affordability through the work of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (the Innovation Center).”
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