Lawmakers propose radiologist-supported bill to relieve shortages via foreign-born physicians
Members of the House and Senate have proposed bipartisan legislation seeking to tap foreign-born physicians to relieve staffing shortages in the U.S.
Lawmakers on Feb. 25 reintroduced the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act. Backed by the American College of Radiology, among others, the bill would allow international doctors to remain in the U.S. upon completing their residency under the condition they practice in areas experiencing physician shortages.
The bill would extend for three years the Conrad 30 program, which has brought over 15,000 physicians to underserved geographies.
“Too many rural areas in North Carolina and across the country lack the healthcare workforce needed to provide quality and timely care,” co-sponsor and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said in a statement. “This bipartisan legislation will allow American-trained doctors to help fill those gaps so we can expand access to critical healthcare in medically underserved and health professional shortage areas.”
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., also are supporting the Senate bill. Meanwhile, Reps. David Valadao, R-Calif., Brad Schneider, D-Ill., Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, are sponsoring the House bill. Along with ACR, the legislation is endorsed by 50 other organizations including the American Society of Neuroradiology, American Medical Association and American Hospital Association.
ACR touted the two bills’ introduction in a news update published March 7.
“This legislation is one policy solution aimed at addressing ongoing physician shortages and strengthening the healthcare workforce in areas where it is needed most,” the college said Friday.
The Conrad 30 program was created in 1994, letting states waive the requirement that foreign medical grads must return home for two years after completing their training, ACR noted. The “30” in the name refers to the number of physicians in each state that can participate in the program. Tillis and colleagues said their proposal also would allow for the program to expand beyond 30 slots while also protecting small states’ allotment.
“This reauthorization strengthens incentives for [international medical graduates] and streamlines the waiver process for employers, making it easier to recruit physicians in areas with persistent shortages,”
Ram Alur, MD, president of Physicians for American Healthcare Access, said in a statement. “These updates will strengthen the U.S. position in the global competition for top medical talent and uphold access to care in underserved areas.”
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.