Programs that detect and respond to bioterrorism, disease outbreaks and natural or accidental disasters are at risk due to federal and state budget cuts, according to a new report from Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. For example, all 50 states and Washington, D.C. had cuts in the Hospital Preparedness Program from fiscal year 2010 to 2011, the report notes.
The American Hospital Association recently voiced support for the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization of 2011 (S. 1855) and the Medical Surge Capacity Act (S. 1854). Approved this month by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, S. 1855 would reauthorize the Hospital Preparedness Program, the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals, the Medical Reserve Corps and other critical preparedness activities through 2016. The Medical Surge Capacity Act would enact changes to enhance medical surge capacity in response to lessons learned since 2006.
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