| - The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Announced that It Would Begin
Sponsoring the J-1 Visa Waiver Program.
- Qualified
Foreign Physicians Have Played a Vital Role In Rural American Health System.
- Please,
Contact the Dept. of Health and Human Services to Express Your Support for this
Program.
The
J-1 visa waiver program has waived the so-called "return home" requirement that
forced foreign doctors to return to their home countries for at least 2 years
and allowed the doctors to stay in the U.S. if they worked in rural areas for
3-5 years. That program has provided desperately needed physicians in underserved
rural areas since the mid-1990's. However, in April 2002, the U.S Department of
Agriculture suddenly withdrew its sponsorship of the J-1 visa waiver program.
Since then National Grange has been concerned about the decreased access to health
care in rural areas. However,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last December that it would
begin sponsoring the J-1 visa waiver program. National Grange sent a letter
to Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Dept. of Health and Human Services expressing
our strong support for his efforts to set forth new regulations to revive the
J-1 visa waiver program. Read
the full text of the regulations. Rural
America has suffered from medical professional shortages. Foreign doctors have
been a critical resource to meet the need of health care in rural areas. Without
the J-1 visa waiver program, many rural Americans will lack access to primary
health care. The reintroduction of J-1 visa waiver program should be strongly
supported to improve the access and equity of health care in underserved rural
areas! Please
write a letter to Secretary of HHS and/or Dr. William R. Steiger, who are in charge
of new regulations on this program. Sample letter enclosed below: The
Honorable Tommy Thompson, Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201 Dr.
William R. Steiger
Office of Global Health Affairs
200 Independence Ave.,
SW
Room 639-H
Washington, DC 20201 Dear
Secretary Thompson / Dr. Steiger: RE:
45 CFR Part 50
RIN: 0991-AB21 I
am writing to you to support the interim final rule, HHS Exchange Visitor Program;
Request for Waiver of the Two-Year Foreign Residence Requirement, which
allows the Department of Health and Human Services to request waivers of "return-home"
requirements for foreign doctors who practice in underserved rural communities.
The reintroduction of J-1 visa waiver program is absolutely needed for providing
rural Americans with the access to the qualified physicians. I urge you to implement
this program as soon as possible. Sincerely,
YOUR
NAME || ADDRESS || CITY/ZIP || TELEPHONE || E-MAIL || Action
Plan --- Please contact Secretary of HHS and Dr. William R. Steiger and express
your strong support for the reintroduction of J-1 visa waiver program. Further
contact information is following. HHS
Phone: (202) 619-0257; Toll Free: 1-877-696-6775
Office of HHS Secretary
Phone: 202-690-7000
Dr. Steiger
Phone: 202-690-6174; Fax: 202-690-7127
If
you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst
Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091
or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank
you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.
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