In Case You Missed It – Last month, U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) introduced legislation to increase the number of Medicare-supported doctor training slots available for medical students as well as address the shortage of primary and specialty care physicians in Arkansas and across the country. 

The senator’s Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act is a bipartisan health care workforce solution to combat the projected shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Here’s what some stakeholders are saying about the measure and Boozman’s leadership:

“The current cap on residency slots, established in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, severely restricts the number of training positions for which hospitals can receive graduate medical education (GME) funding, exacerbating our workforce challenges. As a predominantly rural state, Arkansas faces a pressing concern regarding consistent access to medical care and, by adding more residency slots, the legislation will help address the critical physician shortage. We appreciate Sen. Boozman for sponsoring this very important legislation,” Arkansas Hospital Association President and CEO Bo Ryall said.

“The shortage of primary health care providers, particularly in rural areas, means that many Arkansans are not getting the preventive health care required to achieve good health, wellness and longevity. There is a definite need in our state and many other states, particularly states that are very rural based, to get more doctors both in primary care positions and subspecialists. New streams of revenue to support graduate medical education are critical. This could be a very significant boost for health care in rural communities,” said Executive Vice Chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Dr. Steven Webber.

“Alice L. Walton School of Medicine recently welcomed our inaugural class of students in Bentonville, Arkansas. These future physicians are committed to serving communities across Arkansas and the Heartland region. Physicians tend to practice where they complete their residency training, thus making the availability of additional GME slots in rural states essential. The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act is a vital investment in the health of rural communities found across our state and I applaud Senator Boozman for his steadfast support of this initiative,” said Alice Walton School of Medicine Dean Sharmila Makhija.

Coverage of the bill included:

“Sen. John Boozman is releasing bipartisan legislation today that would increase the number of Medicare-supported Graduate Medical Education residencies in the face of stark projections of physician shortages.” – Politico, 7/24/25

“Boozman, of Rogers, and three other senators are pushing the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act with the intent of raising the number of residency program positions receiving support from Medicare, the federal health care program covering medical care and other related costs.” – Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/24/25

“Sen. Boozman bill would boost federal dollars for physician training” – Talk Business & Politics, 7/24/25

“Arkansas’s Boozman reintroduces bill to add medical residencies to rural areas…Arkansas would be among the states the bill prioritizes because of its rural areas, new medical schools such as the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and hospitals that serve areas designated by the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration as health professional shortage areas.” – Arkansas Advocate, 7/25/25

“Arkansas Sen. John Boozman pens bill to address aging healthcare workforce” – KARK, 8/1/25

“Bill Targets Doctor Shortage Nationwide” – THV11, 7/28/25

“U.S. Arkansas Senator John Boozman reintroduces a bill to increase the number of medical residency slots nationwide, with an emphasis on addressing healthcare shortages in rural states like Arkansas.” – KASU, 7/31/25

“A new bipartisan bill led by U.S. Sen. John Boozman could help Baxter Health, one of Mountain Home’s largest employers, compete for desperately needed physician training positions as the rural hospital struggles to recruit doctors to north central Arkansas…For Baxter Health and Mountain Home, the bill represents a potential lifeline in addressing the community’s long-standing challenge of attracting and retaining physicians to serve the region’s growing population.” – Mountain Home Observer, 7/28/25

“Arkansas Senator Among Group Supporting Bill to Help Healthcare Access in Rural Areas”– KHBZ, 7/27/25

“Boozman, Warnock, Collins, Schumer Lead Push to Boost Supply of Doctors, Ensure Access to Medical Care” – SWArk Today, 7/25/25