Reform Efforts Leave Funding for UC-Merced Medical School in Limbo
Although California lawmakers say the House health care reform bill could help UC-Merced launch its proposed medical school, federal funding for the project remains uncertain, the Fresno Bee reports.
California Democratic Reps. Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa said they supported the House bill partially because it included a provision for medical school funding.
The medical school provision authorizes the federal government to allocate $100 million annually during the next five years to develop medical schools in federally designated "health professional shortage areas."
Such designations apply to areas of Merced County, as well as more than 6,000 other regions of the country.
The medical school provision does not identify any school by name or guarantee the disbursal of funds. Congress would need to appropriate the money each year for it to reach the schools.
Moreover, the medical school provision is included only in the House's health care reform bill (HR 3962). It remains unclear whether the provision will appear in a Senate bill or a final version of the legislation (Doyle, Fresno Bee, 11/10).
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