Physicians for Underserved Areas Act
Physicians for Underserved Areas Act
Plain Language Summary
# Physicians for Underserved Areas Act – Plain Language Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill changes how medical residency training positions are redistributed when a hospital closes. Currently, when a hospital with a doctor training program shuts down, the federal government (through Medicare) moves those training positions to other hospitals following a specific priority order: first to hospitals in the same local area, then the same state, then the same region, and finally anywhere else. This bill removes the regional-priority step, allowing positions to be redistributed more flexibly to hospitals across the country that need them most. **Who It Affects and Key Changes:** The bill would primarily affect hospitals and medical schools seeking to train new doctors, as well as communities facing physician shortages.
By eliminating the regional priority requirement, the legislation aims to direct residency positions to areas and hospitals that demonstrate they can actually use them to address doctor shortages—particularly in underserved areas. The bill also appears to modify how hospitals must prove they'll fill these positions, though the summary text is incomplete. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and is currently in committee, meaning it hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate. It remains in the early stages of the legislative process.
CRS Official Summary
Physicians for Underserved Areas ActThis bill modifies how a hospital's residency positions are redistributed after it closes for purposes of graduate medical education payments under Medicare.Under current law, if a hospital with an approved medical residency program closes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must redistribute the hospital's residency positions to other hospitals in the following order: (1) hospitals in the same core-based statistical area as the closed hospital, (2) hospitals in the same state as the closed hospital, (3) hospitals in the same region of the country as the closed hospital, and (4) other remaining hospitals. In order to receive the additional positions, hospitals must demonstrate a likelihood of filling the positions within three years.The bill removes the requirement that the CMS prioritize hospitals in the same region of the country as the closed hospital. It also requires hospitals to demonstrate a likelihood of (1) starting to use the positions within two years, and (2) filling the positions within five years.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.