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  • Washington Highlights

    GME Expansion Bill Introduced in House

    Allyson Perleoni, Director, Government Relations
    For Media Inquiries

    Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) introduced the AAMC-supported Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 (H.R. 2389) on March 29. 

    The legislation would provide 14,000 new Medicare graduate medical education (GME) positions over seven years. In determining which hospitals would receive positions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would be required to consider the likelihood of a teaching hospital filling positions and would be required to distribute at least 10% of the positions to each of the following categories of hospitals: 

    • Hospitals in rural or noncontiguous areas. 

    • Hospitals training over their GME cap. 

    • Hospitals in states with new medical schools or new branch campuses.  

    • Hospitals that serve areas designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas, with priority to hospitals affiliated with historically Black medical schools.  

    Upon introduction of the legislation, the AAMC issued a press release applauding the legislation and stating, “We thank Reps. Sewell and Fitzpatrick for their dedication to ensuring access to high-quality health care for all by expanding critical investments in physician training. By strategically targeting these new medical residency positions at a wide variety of teaching hospitals, we are also strengthening and diversifying the health care workforce and improving critical access to care for patients, families, and communities across the country.” 

    In a press release, Sewell stated that “By adding 14,000 new graduate medical education residency positions over the next seven years, this critical legislation will give hospitals and health centers the tools they need to improve access to care, lower wait times for patients, and create a pipeline of qualified medical professionals to serve Americans’ health needs.” 

    Fitzpatrick also highlighted the importance of the legislation in addressing the physician shortage and improving access to care, noting that, the bill “will create more opportunities for aspiring doctors to join residency programs and help meet the growing demand for high-quality health care.” 

    The Senate version of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.