Today on Match Day, an annual rite of passage when medical school graduates across the country learn where they have been matched for their graduate medical education (GME), U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor announced new legislation that would provide federal support to help train an additional 15,000 resident physicians while introducing accountability and transparency initiatives for institutions receiving Medicare funding for physician training. Training Tomorrow’s Doctors Today Act, which has broad-based support from numerous physician, hospital and other groups representing both primary and specialty care physicians, was introduced yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives. Read more »
U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) and Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) recently sent letters to House Leadership and leaders of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce requesting their assistance in advancing the Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act, H.R.1197, to the House floor for a vote. Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) called for a congressional hearing with experts on the Zika virus as soon as possible in a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and its Subcommittees on Health and Oversight and Investigations. U.S. Rep. Castor serves on both subcommittees. U.S. Rep. Castor is pressing for the most up-to-date information from public health experts on Zika's current and potential impact in the United States, especially in Gulf states like Florida, which has been designated as an area of year-round risk. Read more »
With three weeks before the open enrollment deadline for residents to receive insurance under the Affordable Care Act, Sylvia Burwell, President Obama’s top health official, attended a service at New Mount Zion Baptist Church on Sunday to encourage parishioners to sign up for coverage. Read more »
Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) urged House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan and House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Fred Upton to disband the Select Panel to Attack Women’s Health, which targets Planned Parenthood without justification. Read more »
Like the Select Committee on Benghazi, which has squandered a total of more than $4.5 million since it was established 72 weeks ago, House Republicans are once again abusing power and taxpayer money on another witch-hunt. This time their target is Planned Parenthood and women’s health care. A resolution to create this select committee is under consideration today. Read more »
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) sent the attached letter today to U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell calling for her department’s oversight and enforcement authority to ensure Florida children receive the health services required under law. Despite a court’s ruling in December 2014 that determined that the State of Florida is in violation of federal law for systemic denial of medical services to children under the Medicaid and Social Security, the state has done nothing to address the shortcomings. Read more »
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) announced that the University of South Florida will once again receive the largest “navigator” grant in the nation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to assist families and consumers shop and enroll in the health insurance marketplace. USF was awarded $5,912,400, an increase of more than $500,000 over last year’s grant amount. U.S. Rep. Castor released the following statement regarding this grant award: Read more »
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) sent the attached letter to James A. Haley VA Hospital regarding recent media reports of rodents and pests in the hospital’s food service areas. Read more »