Neuroradiologists are voicing support for a bipartisan bill that would tap foreign physicians to help relieve staffing shortages in the U.S.
Lawmakers in both chambers recently reintroduced the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act. The bill would recapture 15,000 unused immigrant visas for physicians, previously authorized by Congress. This would provide a “desperately needed boost” to the healthcare system in both rural and urban areas, members of Congress contend.
The American Society of Neuroradiology endorsed the bill in a March 6 news update, believing it will help alleviate “nationwide workforce challenges.” ASNR also was among 52 provider groups penning letters to lawmakers who introduced the bill in the House and Senate.
“Foreign-trained physicians are more likely than U.S.-trained physicians to practice in lower income and disadvantaged communities, despite the well-documented and burdensome delays this legislation seeks to address. This crucial policy change will enable these physicians to continue serving patients, ensuring every American can access needed care,” ASNR, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Hospital Association and others wrote Feb. 27.
The bill also allots another 25,000 immigrant visas for nurses and their immediate family members. As a safeguard, employers would be required to attest that overseas immigrants who receive these visas would not displace American workers. Eligible physicians also would need to meet licensing requirements, pay filing fees and clear rigorous national security and criminal background checks.
ASNR et al. shared commonly cited stats from the Association of American Medical Colleges to support their case. According to the AAMC, the U.S. is expected to face a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians over the next decade. This includes upward of 77,000 non-primary care providers and 30,000-plus surgical specialists. Underserved and rural communities are expected to be most impacted by the shortage, the associations noted.
“Congress, therefore, must consider short- and long-term solutions to confront this crisis and improve access to care for patients no matter where they reside,” ASNR and others wrote. “In response to these dire statistics, we strongly support the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act.”
Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., first reintroduced the bill in November, with the House doing the same that month.
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.