WASHINGTON, DC - This week, the American Medical Association is running advertisements and medical students are holding events across the country to highlight the need to cover America's 47 million uninsured patients. AMA activity is occurring in conjunction with Cover the Uninsured Week (through May 3), an annual event organized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to raise awareness of America's uninsured and to make sure that covering the uninsured is a top national priority.

"Cover the Uninsured Week provides an important opportunity for all physicians and Americans to stand up and show their support for health care reform," said AMA President Ron Davis, MD. "New Robert Wood Johnson Foundation research showing that health care premiums are rising faster than workers' earnings draws attention to the ever-growing need for reforms to cover the uninsured. As premiums continue to increase, more patients are priced out of coverage forcing them to put off care until their health problems reach crisis, and leading to more difficult and more costly conditions to treat."

AMA is reaching out to members of Congress and other leaders on Capitol Hill through advertisements in political trade publications including Congress Daily, The Hill, and CQ Today. The ads are part of the AMA's Voice for the Uninsured campaign, the AMA's three-year effort to extend health care coverage to more Americans. The AMA ad depicts a doctor and an uninsured patient and reads "47 million uninsured isn't just a statistic, it's a tragedy. Let's work together to expand health insurance coverage to all Americans."

MSU's 5K fun runThe AMA Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS) is holding more than 40 events (PDF, KB) across the country in coordination with Cover the Uninsured Week. This week's events will take place in Miami, Alabama and Pittsburgh, among many other U.S. sites. AMA-MSS at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is holding a week-long campaign where medical students provide information to inner-city residents about free and low-cost health insurance options such as SCHIP. Recently, medical students at Michigan State University organized a 5K fun run to promote healthy lifestyles, raise awareness about the uninsured, and promote the goal of access to care for everyone. Proceeds were donated to a local student-run free clinic.

"We are pleased to see growing support to cover the uninsured," said Dr. Davis. "Through our Voice for the Uninsured campaign, the AMA is sharing our proposal to cover the uninsured with the goal of national legislation to get more Americans covered."

"The AMA has a plan to cover the uninsured that builds on the strengths of our current system -- world-class medical innovations and research, and doctors dedicated to the health of their patients," said Dr. Davis. For more information about the AMA's plan to cover the uninsured visit VoiceForTheUninsured.org.

About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issues. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million physician and medical student members are playing an active role in shaping the future of medicine.