Medical Group Urges Protection For Doctors, Patients After U.S. Travel Ban

The largest U.S. physician group urged President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday to protect international doctors and seriously ill patients from an executive order that suspends travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. In a letter addressed to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, the American Medical Association warned that the order created barriers to healthcare by preventing international physicians from getting back into the country or obtaining visas. It also wrote that the order should not apply to patients who need timely medical care in the United States. “The AMA is concerned that this executive order is negatively impacting patient access to care and creating unintended consequences for our nation’s health care system,” the group said in a letter posted on its web site. “It is vitally important that this process not impact patient access to timely medical treatment.” Last Friday, Trump put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. Reuters reported earlier this week that Trump’s order wreaked panic and uncertainty among refugees in the U.S. pipeline with urgent medical needs, some of whom had prioritized applications. The order could mean as many as 800 people needing medical entry will be denied entry, said Karen Monken of HIAS, a Mar...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news