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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline APRIL 25, 2025 | The Indian Eye 26

AAPI Legislative Day Planned for

May 8th on Capitol Hill

OUR BUREAU
Washington, DC
ealthcare continues to be the
center of the nation’s focus,
Hespecially with changes in
policies on immigration, Medicare/
Medicaid, and Medical Education.
AAPI’s annual Legislative Day comes
to be a vital part of AAPI’s growing
influence and having its united voice
heard in the corridors of power. “We
are excited to announce that our next tions in professional and community
Legislative Day is on Thursday, May affairs. The Executive Committee is
8th, in Washington, DC,” said Dr. working hard, enabling AAPI’s voice
Satheesh Kathula, President of AAPI. to be heard in the corridors of power,
“We expect to have the participation and thus taking AAPI to new heights.”
from dozens of key Congressmen and
Senators. The annual Legislative Day
will be a unique opportunity for AAPI During the annual Legislative
to be part of the decision-making pro- Conference, among others,
cess on matters related to healthcare.”
The day-long event will begin at AAPI will discuss Medicare and Congress on Capitol Hill,” said Dr. acerbated by retiring baby boomers,
10:00 am and will conclude in the af- Medicaid Reimbursements, Pri- Amit Chakrabarty, president-elect of affecting thousands of patients’ ac-
cess to a physician, and ultimately
AAPI. “It is a tradition of nearly three
ternoon at 3 pm, giving participants
the opportunity to meet with their or Authorization, Immigration decades, which has brought many the health care they need, AAPI has
important transformations in Na-
own Congressman/Senators on their Reform, Increased Residency tional Healthcare policies that have strongly supported the much need-
ed Immigration Reform, particularly
own time.
AAPI represents the interests of Slots, Addressing Physician helped Physicians of Indian Origin. with the focus on H-1 and J-1 visas are
over 100,000 physicians and 40,000 Shortage, and Scope of Medi- Now, it is the need of the day to re- used by many South Asian American
new our friendship with new leader-
physicians, playing an important role
medical students and residents of
Indian heritage in the United States. cal Practice Issues. ship under President Donald Trump in providing critical health care across
Dr. Sunil Kaza, Chair of AAPI BOT and Vice President J D Vance and the country.
“The conference will focus on Im-
brief the Congressional leadership
said, “The mission AAPI, the largest “AAPI Legislative Day is a flag- on issues that are important to us.” migration Reform and ways for AAPI
ethnic organization of physicians, is ship annual event that is eagerly await- “AAPI is once again in the fore- members to be part of the process in
to provide a forum to facilitate and ed to rekindle and renew our energy front in bringing many burning health the implementation of the health care
enable Indian American physicians to in bringing up the issues that we need care issues facing the community at reform in this country,” Dr. Meher
excel at inpatient care, teaching and to bring to the attention of national large and bringing this to the Capi- Medavaram, Vice President of AAPI
research, and to pursue their aspira- policy makers and leaders of the US
tol and to the US Congress,” says Dr. said. “While medical school enroll-
Sudhir Parikh, Co-Chair of AAPI ment has climbed 2% annually over
Legislative Affairs Committee. Dr. the past five years through new schools
Parikh urged “AAPI colleagues and and expansion of existing schools,
everyone interested in or connected the number of residency slots fund-
with providing health care to attend ed by Medicare has been capped at
this event and ensure that our con- about 100,000 since 1997,” he added.
cerns and needs are heard by our “AAPI continues to discover her
lawmakers and ensure that they act potential to be a player in shaping
on them.” the healthcare of each patient with
AAPI has been seeking to collec- a focus on health maintenance than
tively shape the best health care for disease intervention. To be a play-
the people of the US, with the physi- er in crafting the delivery of health
cians at the helm, caring for the med- care most efficiently and to strive for
ically underserved as it has done for equality in health globally, the annu-
several decades, when physicians of al Legislative Day is a perfect way to
Indian origin came to the US in larger impact Healthcare policy and pro-
numbers. grams most effectively. Come and
US is currently experiencing a join us on Capitol Hill on May 8th,”
physician shortage, which will be ex- Dr. Kathula said.

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