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Physicians

Bipartisan Bill Aims to Address Physician Shortage in Arkansas and Across the US

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have introduced a bipartisan bill to address the shortage of primary and specialty care physicians in Arkansas and across the country. The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act aims to increase the number of Medicare-supported doctor training slots available for medical students and prioritize positions for states with hospitals located in rural areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The bill aims to address the projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, including up to 40,000 primary care doctors and as many as 20,000 surgical specialists.
  • The bill would raise the number of residency program positions that Medicare can fund by 14,000 over seven years.
  • The bill prioritizes positions for states with hospitals located in rural areas, new medical schools, hospitals training physicians in excess of their cap, and hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).
  • The bill is supported by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), National Rural Health Association (NRHA), American Medical Association (AMA), and the Greater New York Hospital Association.
  • Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have cosponsored the bill.

Statistics:

  • The US faces a projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036 (Source: [Medical group study]).
  • Up to 40,000 primary care doctors and as many as 20,000 surgical specialists are projected to be part of the shortage.
  • In 2023, around one-quarter of Arkansas's medical residencies were not Medicare-supported Graduate Medical Education (GME) slots.
  • The bill aims to raise the number of residency program positions that Medicare can fund by 14,000 over seven years.

Sources:

  • [Medical group study]
  • MIL OSI USA News (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/)
  • The U.S. Senate: press release by Senator John Boozman and other co-sponsors.

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