WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), along with Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), introduced the bipartisan Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act to increase the number of Medicare-supported doctor training slots available for medical students and address the shortage of primary and specialty care physicians in Arkansas and across the country.

“There is an urgent, demonstrated need to strengthen our health care system by combating the alarming shortage of providers, particularly in rural areas,” said Boozman. “Lifting the outdated cap on residency positions supported by Medicare can expand the supply of physicians while helping ensure access to quality care and treatment in more communities nationwide. I am proud to work in a bipartisan way on this important medical workforce solution that also supports better health outcomes.”

“Our state faces a critical shortage of primary care and specialty physicians, preventing many Georgians from accessing health care services in their community,” said Warnock. “Where you live shouldn’t determine the type of medical care you receive, and I will not stop working to help our hospitals hire and retain the health care workforce that Georgians deserve.”

“In the face of growing demand for medical treatments and services, our country continues to struggle with a shortage of trained physicians. It is critical that we bridge the gap,” said Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would support training opportunities needed to alleviate the physician shortage and improve access to health care, particularly in rural or underserved communities, which in turn promotes healthier lives.”

“The physician shortage in New York and across the country drastically impedes our hospitals from delivering good, quality care, leading to longer wait times and putting more strain on a healthcare system that’s already stretched thin,” said Leader Schumer. “This bipartisan legislation would expand training supported by Medicare and help ensure our communities have access to primary care and specialty physicians when they need it.”

The U.S. faces a 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. In 2023, around one-quarter of Arkansas’s medical residencies were not Medicare-supported Graduate Medical Education (GME) slots. Funding residencies independently is extremely costly to rural hospitals already struggling to attract and support physicians.

Specifically, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act addresses the growing physician workforce shortage by:

• Raising the number of residency program positions that Medicare can fund by 14,000 over seven years; and
• Prioritizing positions for states with hospitals located in rural areas, new medical schools, hospitals training physicians in excess of their cap as well as hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). 

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.

This measure builds upon Boozman’s continued efforts to champion health care in The Natural State. In March, Boozman introduced the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act to prioritize placement of available medical residency spots in rural and underserved areas, as well as the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act to ease financial burdens on medical professionals completing their medical training.

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.

“The Association of American Medical Colleges applauds Senators Boozman, Warnock, Collins, Schumer, Gillibrand, Rosen, Klobuchar, King, Gallego, Welch, Slotkin, and Durbin for championing this important bipartisan legislation that would expand federal investment in physician training,” said AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, M.D. “With the nation facing a persistent physician shortage, this bipartisan bill would enhance and build on the investments academic health systems are making to strengthen the physician workforce by increasing Medicare support for physician training. We look forward to working with the Senate to advance this critical legislation and help ensure that patients across the country have access to timely, high-quality health care they deserve.”

“The National Rural Health Association is proud to support the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act and thanks Senator Boozman and Senator Warnock for their work to introduce this bill. Rural communities continue to experience a chronic lack of physicians and these shortages are only projected to grow,” said NRHA CEO Alan Morgan. “This important legislation is a huge step towards recruiting and training more physicians in rural areas and ensuring that all rural residents have access to care. We look forward to continuing to work with the senators to pass this bill and find sustainable solutions to rural workforce issues.”

“The American Medical Association commends Sens. John Boozman and Raphael Warnock for introducing this crucial bipartisan legislation that aims to address the physician shortage and resulting access challenges for patients,” said AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D. “By expanding federal support for graduate medical education over the next seven years, Congress is taking a critical step toward ensuring patients nationwide have access to well-trained physicians in their communities.”

Bill text is available here.