Support the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act!

In Congress, U.S. Representatives Diana Harshbarger (TN-1) and Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), reintroduced the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act H.R. 1153. This piece of legislation seeks to address the geographic maldistribution of primary care physicians across the United States by:

• Removing Medicare limits on rural resident training growth by lifting  current caps in Medicare reimbursement of resident’s training in rural locations. 
• Allowing Critical Access Hospitals and Sole Community Hospitals to receive an equitable payment for training residents.
• Revising the definition of “rural” to allow for certain additional areas within county-based statistical areas to be considered rural for GME purposes. 
• Establishing an elective per resident payment initiative to ensure adequate reimbursement for rural hospitals to train residents.

 Many rural areas lack access to primary care, with 20% of the U.S. population living in rural areas but only 10% of physicians practicing there, highlighting a significant systemic issue. We are thrilled to see Congress prioritizing rural healthcare in a meaningful way.

View current co-sponsors and updates on H.R. 1153

This bill is supported by a coalition of medical organizations including the Council of Academic Family Medicine, National Rural Health Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association. Join us in supporting the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act. Together, we can strengthen healthcare in rural and medically underserved areas, and build a stronger, healthier future for all Americans.

Take action to support this important legislation today!