On behalf of our 40,000 emergency physician members who care for those in our country during their times of deepest need, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) respectfully calls on the Administration to recognize the critical importance of a robust federal health infrastructure in safeguarding the prosperity and security of our nation, and the health and well-being of our people.
Emergency physicians proudly serve as the country’s safety net, providing high-quality care to more than 150 million patients annually. This safety net is reinforced in large part by the work of numerous federal agencies. For example, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) enhances our readiness to respond to disasters, mass casualty events, and national security threats, such as bioterrorism, chemical, or even nuclear attacks. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provides vital data, payment frameworks, and resources that are mission-critical to caring for all Americans, particularly rural populations and especially our seniors who have earned and deserve the promise of the Medicare program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors and responds to public health threats, with evidence-based protocols for emergency preparedness, providing real-time data during health crises, and offering training and resources that enhance the readiness and resilience of emergency care systems. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides groundbreaking research that informs clinical practices, develops innovative treatments and medical technologies, and fosters scientific discoveries that significantly improve patient outcomes in acute care settings.
These non-exhaustive examples underscore the indispensable role of federal resources in enabling emergency physicians to provide lifesaving care to all – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
As the Administration continues its efforts to streamline government operations, deliver greater efficiencies, and reduce unnecessary expenditures, we urge a thoughtful, precision-based approach—a scalpel rather than a blunt instrument when evaluating departments and agencies particularly within Health & Human Services (HHS). We also emphasize the importance of maintaining public access to critical data sources and evidence-based information—resources that represent decades of federal investment and are pivotal for informed decision-making in both public health and clinical care.
Given our unique role as frontline clinicians who must be prepared to address a wide array of medical emergencies and disaster scenarios, we deeply value our partnerships with federal agencies. Too drastic a reduction in the federal health workforce risks compromising these vital collaborations, potentially posing a national security concern by weakening our collective ability to respond to crises and threatening patient access to lifesaving emergency care. We stand ready to work collaboratively with HHS to ensure that our nation’s health care safety net remains strong and capable of delivering the lifesaving care that Americans need and deserve.
