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Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
12/9/2023, 5:40 PM
Summary of Bill S 1302
The bill also includes provisions to prioritize funding for residency programs in rural and underserved areas, where the shortage of physicians is particularly acute. By incentivizing residency programs to train physicians in these areas, the bill seeks to improve access to healthcare for individuals living in remote or underserved communities.
Additionally, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 includes measures to promote diversity in the physician workforce. The bill encourages residency programs to recruit and retain individuals from underrepresented minority groups, as well as those from disadvantaged backgrounds. By increasing diversity in the physician workforce, the bill aims to improve health outcomes for all patients and reduce disparities in healthcare access and quality. Overall, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 is a comprehensive piece of legislation that seeks to address the shortage of resident physicians in the United States through increased funding, targeted incentives, and a focus on diversity in the physician workforce. If passed, this bill has the potential to improve access to healthcare for all Americans and ensure that there are an adequate number of trained physicians to meet the needs of our growing population.
Congressional Summary of S 1302
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023
This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas.
Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. Current law also provides for an additional increase of up to 200 positions for FY2026, with at least 100 of these positions for psychiatry or related specialties; each hospital may receive up to 10 additional positions.
The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2025-FY2031; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law.
The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
