Citation

Levinsohn E, Weisenthal K, Wang P, Shahu A, Meizlish M, Robledo-Gil T, Duffy E, Fox S, Berk-Krauss J. Acad. Med. 2017; 92(9): 1231-1233.

Affiliation

E. Levinsohn is a fourth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. K. Weisenthal is a fourth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. P. Wang is a fifth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. A. Shahu is a fourth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. M. Meizlish is a fifth-year MD-PhD student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. T. Robledo-Gil is a fourth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. E. Duffy is a fourth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. S. Fox is a second-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. J. Berk-Krauss is a fourth-year medical student, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Association of American Medical Colleges, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/ACM.0000000000001724

PMID

28422815

Abstract

Despite being a major stakeholder in the U.S. health care system, the medical community has remained relatively mute in the debate over the future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the ACA were repealed, tens of millions of Americans would be in danger of losing their insurance, resulting in a significant increase in mortality. Because misinformation about the ACA is rampant, it is imperative that health care providers explain to the public what exactly the ACA is and how repeal will affect patients. Traditionally, many in the medical community have abstained from political advocacy for multiple reasons, including compromising the doctor-patient relationship, financial incentives, lack of experience with activism due to an absence of training in that area, and fear of political retaliation. Encouragingly, there are indications that the medical community is beginning to become more vocal. Medical students are one example, having formed a grassroots response to repeal. However, students need more guidance and support from experienced mentors to most effectively serve as patient advocates. This is no time for silence: On this life-or-death issue, the medical community cannot afford to remain mute.

Language: en