Obama budget proposal could cost Ohio children’s hospitals $32 million

A provision in President Barack Obama’s proposed federal budget would mean children’s hospitals in Ohio would lose $32 million for physician training (Source: “Budget ax could hit children's hospitals,” Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 18, 2011).

The president’s budget plan includes eliminating a $318 million fund for graduate medical education at children’s hospitals. The fund was created by Congress in 1999 to offset costs of medical residency and fellowship programs at children’s hospitals across the nation.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, helped create the fund and said he will work to get it back into the budget.

"I can come up with a lot of different ways to cut the budget beside going after children's hospitals," the Ohio Democrat said. "We know this has made the huge difference in training the best pediatricians in the country."