Romney, Republicans, Will Defund Programs That Help Children with Lifesaving Care

Romneys Big Bird metaphor reflects his support for defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). But his metaphor has far-reaching implications. It also symbolizes his position on a bill a House Appropriations Subcommittee passed that would cut $1.3 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill reduces or eliminates funding for important healthcare provisions as well as CPB. Among other provisions, the bill terminates the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); freezes funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and imposes prescriptive management policies on the agency; cuts funding for health professions programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); and blocks funding for and implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to AAMC. The subcommittee chairman, Denny Rehberg, said, This committee cannot repeal Obamacare [ACA] directly. But we can prevent it from being further implemented with taxpayer dollars we have jurisdiction over. The legislation therefore prevents the Secretary of Health and Human Services from using any funding in this bill to continue to implement Obamacare. It also rescinds unspent funds that have already been made available in the health care law itself. These dollars are directed to other, higher priority programs. Government organizations, such as AHRQ, have played a significant role in successful medical outcomes for patients. Boston Childrens Hospital and other non-profit hospitals would not exist if they did not receive federal grants for research and development. These institutions cannot depend on philanthropy alone to acquire the level of funding needed to provide care. As an example of successful outcomes, Boston Childrens Hospital surgeons have successfully implanted a new expandable prosthetic heart valve in several children. Two of the children, Emily Duhe and Logan Narolis, had a new expandable replacement valve implant -- one that essentially can be made to grow as they do -- to replace their damaged mitral valves. It is not expected that the appropriations bill will be voted on until after the November elections. So we will not know the outcome of the bill until after the election. But one thing is for certain: if Mitt Romney is sitting in the White House and Republicans gain a majority in Congress, ACA and

AHRQ will not endure a Republican onslaught. And children like Emily Duhe and Logan Narolis will not receive the level of care needed to save their lives.