Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Sewell
Introduced
Summary
Would expand Medicare-funded residency positions through a multi-year distribution and fund rural residency development. It sets annual rounds and program rules for adding new residency slots from 2026 through 2032 and creates grants to build rural training programs.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More Medicare residency slots and payments
If enacted, Medicare would award up to 2,000 new residency slots each year from FY2026–FY2032. Unused slots would roll forward, and rounds would continue after 2032 until 14,000 total slots are awarded. Hospitals would be told by January 1 each year; added slots would start for cost‑reporting periods on or after July 1. One‑third of yearly slots would go to hospitals already training over their cap, but only if they are over by at least 10 and keep at least 25% of residents in primary care and general surgery for five years. The Secretary would also direct at least 10% of non‑reserved slots to each listed group, including rural and shortage‑area hospitals, and would prioritize some HBCU‑affiliated programs when awarding to shortage‑area hospitals. A hospital could get no more than 75 extra slots across 2026–2032 unless there are leftover slots; hospitals must add those FTEs and may share them with affiliates starting in year five. Payments for the added residents would be treated like other residents, and the IME adjustment would apply for discharges on or after July 1, 2027.
Grants and help for rural residencies
If enacted, the government would give grants to plan and start rural residency programs and to add rural training sites. It would also fund grants for technical help to current and future applicants. Eligible groups include hospitals, schools, Tribes, and community and faith-based groups. Grants could be paid up front and would last three years for planning and four years for technical help, with possible extensions. Applicants would describe their training focus, like primary care or maternal health. The bill would authorize $12.7 million each year for FY2026–FY2030, available until spent.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sewell
AL • D
Cosponsors
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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