[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3591-S3592]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TEACHING HOSPITALS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise to address a related issue. I had 
come to join my colleague from New Jersey in addition to my colleague 
from Michigan on teaching hospitals. Like many of our precious 
resources, our teaching hospitals are concentrated in a few regions of 
the country. In fact, 50 percent of the residents trained in the US are 
educated in just seven States.

  New York is home to nearly 10 percent of the Nation's teaching 
hospitals which train 15 percent of our Nation's new doctors--the 
single greatest percentage of any state.
  And though we train them, they don't all stay in New York. They go to 
states where teaching hospitals are few and far between--like New 
Hampshire, Vermont, Montana, Delaware, and South Dakota--States that 
have fewer than 5 teaching hospitals each.
  Twenty-two percent of the physicians practicing in both Vermont and 
New Hampshire--and nearly 20 percent of those in Delaware--were trained 
in New York. Five to 6 percent of the physicians practicing in South 
Dakota and Montana were trained in New York hospitals.
  Even States that do have a significant number of teaching hospitals 
are dependent on New York for residents. Over 30 percent of 
Connecticut's physicians and 47 percent of New Jersey's were trained in 
New York teaching hospitals. Even 10 percent of those practicing in 
North Carolina hailed from New York originally.
  In fact, there's not a State in the Nation that doesn't have at least 
a few doctors who were trained in New York institutions.
  The concentration of medical education and research in New York State 
draws world-renowned physicians to train residents in an environment of 
state-of-the-art medical care and technology.
  The State's teaching institutions also form the foundation of a 
powerful medical research industry, drawing 10 percent of the Nation's 
total National Institutes of Health grant funding.
  But, like all our hospitals, our teaching hospitals are struggling. 
The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 was an important piece of legislation, 
but it cut funding for our Nation's hospitals by over $100 billion more 
than was originally intended, and our hospitals are still reeling from 
its effects.
  Our teaching hospitals face another 15 percent cut in Medicare 
Indirect Medical Education, IME, payments this fall. This could mean 
almost $750 million to the teaching hospitals in New York.
  This funding is a lifeline for our medical centers--it allows 
physicians to train in an environment of great technical sophistication 
where cutting edge biomedical research and breakthrough

[[Page S3592]]

procedures are a part of daily patient care.
  And this quarter billion dollars cut in funding would be felt in 
Connecticut, in New Jersey, in Delaware, in Vermont, in South Dakota, 
in Montana--in all the States in which New York-trained doctors 
practice.
  New York's teaching hospitals are an engine for the Nation's health 
care system. They are too crucial a resource to let struggle under the 
pressure of continued funding cuts. And I am committed to ensuring that 
this devastating cut does not happen this year.
  As the Senate begins to craft Medicare provider legislation, I urge 
all my colleagues to stand with me in ensuring that any Medicare 
provider package includes a repeal of the IME cut.
  Our teaching hospitals--and especially those in New York--are an 
engine for the Nation's health care system. I would have a very hard 
time supporting any Medicare provider package that does not include IME 
relief.
  In conclusion, we need to train our doctors to be the best. Fifty 
percent of the residents trained in the United States are educated in 
just seven States. My State is home to 10 percent of the Nation's 
hospitals and trains 15 percent of our new doctors, the greatest 
percentage of any State. In fact, all over the country, 22 percent of 
the physicians practicing in Vermont and New Hampshire and 20 percent 
in Delaware were trained in New York. Well, that is an east coast 
State. Five to 6 percent of the physicians practicing in South Dakota 
and Montana were trained in New York hospitals.
  In 1997, there were dramatic cuts in money to teaching hospitals.
  There is not a State that hasn't benefited from the great training 
doctors have received in our New York teaching hospitals, or in other 
teaching hospitals throughout. Besides, the teaching hospitals are at 
the core of our medical research industry. They brought 10 percent to 
the NIH grants. Yet in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, we dramatically 
slashed funding for teaching hospitals. This year, they face another 
15-percent cut. That could mean $750 million to the teaching hospitals 
in New York. Well, that funding is a lifeline for our medical centers, 
the great research, and the great physicians which we are able and 
blessed to have in this country.
  So I am here to join my colleague from New Jersey and my colleague 
from New York, Senator Clinton, as well as others who are coming to the 
Chamber to join this effort, to stand firm in saying that we need to 
provide the help for the teaching hospitals. We cannot allow this next 
cut from the Balanced Budget Act to go into effect. We should not allow 
any kinds of benefits and other kinds of changes in the Medicare 
Program to occur without taking into account our teaching hospitals.
  Many of us on both sides of the aisle will be working long and hard 
to see that that happens.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Democrats have used all their time. In 
fact, the time until 12:15 that we set aside should be used by the 
minority. I have talked to my friend from Wyoming. Senator Baucus is 
planning to be here at 12:15 to give his opening statement on this 
important trade bill. We have had good discussion today, and I look 
forward to the Republicans coming out.

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