Expanding Physician Access
The Physician Shortage Raises Healthcare Costs and Harms Americans’ Health
Covid made it clear that more physicians are needed
Driven by a lack of primary care physicians, the shortage could exceed 120,000 by 2030.
Rural areas need more access to physicians
Compared to urban areas, rural areas have 1/10th the specialists per capita and fewer primary care physicians.
Even highly-skilled doctors with extensive experience abroad must repeat their residencies to work in America
The federal government doesn’t fund enough residencies, so U.S.-trained physicians alone cannot fix the shortage.
INCENTIVES MATTER
States’ redundant residency requirements force internationally-trained physicians to spend 3+ years in low-paid training roles. This discourages top international doctors from even trying to practice in America and drives some foreign doctors who relocate to America into non-medical jobs.
The Expanding Rural Healthcare Act allows regulators to waive U.S. residency requirements for certain internationally-trained physicians who meet state quality and safety standards.
Healthcare providers can sponsor international physicians to alleviate immediate staffing shortages.
Regulators can increase patient access to care while maintaining high standards for physician licensure.
Increase access to care | Address health disparities
Ensure high-quality standards
Internationally trained physicians are disproportionately prone to work in low-income, underserved, and rural communities.
More than 247,000 doctors—one-quarter of all U.S. doctors—earned their medical degrees abroad.
In areas where the average annual income is below $15,000, 43% of all doctors come from abroad.
BOTTOM LINE
States can improve rural healthcare and fix worsening physician shortages by allowing skilled internationally-trained physicians to work.
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