The AAMC sent a letter on March 31 to the original sponsors of the Fair Access in Residency Act (H.R. 2314) expressing opposition to the legislation. The letter to Reps. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Carol Miller (R-W.V.), and Don Davis (D-N.C.) highlighted the AAMC’s concern that the legislation would set the dangerous precedent of codifying residency application requirements. The AAMC also expressed concern that the legislation would condition patient care payments on the use of proprietary licensing exams in the residency application process.
H.R. 2314 would condition 2% of a teaching hospital’s indirect medical education (IME) payments on a hospital’s attestation that its residency programs report the number of Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) applicants; the number of applicants accepted from each type of school; and an affirmation that the hospital considers applicants from both MD and DO schools; and that if an examination score is required for acceptance, the applicant can choose whether to submit United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) scores. IME payments are patient care payments designed to partially offset the increased patient care costs at teaching hospitals associated with providing 24/7 access to care for highly complex, severely ill patients. The AAMC argued that any concerns about the use of licensing exams in the residency consideration process should be addressed outside of legislation and in the medical education community.
The AAMC has opposed the legislation in previous congresses.
- Washington Highlights