Legislation Introduced to Fund Additional GME Slots

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (S. 834/H.R. 2256) has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate and House. Sponsored by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), John N. Boozman, OD, (R-Ark.) and Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in the Senate, and Reps. Terri A. Sewell (D-Ark.), John M. Katko (R-N.Y.), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Rodney L. Davis (R-Ill.) in the House, this neurosurgery-endorsed legislation would provide 14,000 new Medicare graduate medical education (GME) slots over seven years. The bill builds on the GME provisions included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), which provided 1,000 new Medicare-funded GME positions. In determining which hospitals would receive slots, CMS would consider the likelihood of a teaching hospital filling positions and would be required to distribute at least 10% of the positions in each of the following categories:

• Hospitals in rural areas;
• Hospitals training over their current GME caps;
• Hospitals in states with new medical schools or new branch campuses; and
• Hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas.

Click here to read neurosurgery’s letter to the Senate sponsors and here for the House letter. Click here for the coalition letter to the House and here for the Senate letter.