Health Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Bernie Sanders
Introduced
Summary
Expands the health workforce by funding medical, dental, and nursing education and by paying clinicians to relocate to rural areas. It creates grant programs, enrollment incentives, and Medicare residency adjustments to grow and diversify providers.
Show full summary
- Students and trainees: MED and DENTAL Grants pay tuition while enrolled, for up to 8 years, and require long-term service in primary care or rural dental practice. Failure to meet the service obligation converts the grant to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan with conversion caps up to $50,000.
- Nursing students: NURSE Grants cover tuition and required fees while enrolled, for up to 8 years, with at least 85% of funds advanced to participating schools and direct student payments allowed if a school opts out.
- Rural clinicians: Rural Relocation Grants give eligible physicians, nurses, and dentists up to $20,000 to move to a rural area for a minimum 3-year practice commitment; leaving early triggers a 50% repayment requirement and the program has $1.8 billion for 2026–2035.
- Schools and workforce expansion: A 10-year Enrollment-Increase Grant program sets numeric enrollment targets and funds evidence-based expansion and faculty support. The program authorizes about $5.4 billion for medicine, nursing, and dentistry for 2026–2035 and requires annual reporting on enrollments and outcomes.
- Medicare and residency slots: The bill adds residency positions and directs that additional positions be treated the same as other resident positions in the Medicare indirect teaching payment adjustment for discharges on or after July 1, 2027.
*Authorizes roughly $7.2 billion in funding for 2026–2035 and requires ongoing MED/DENTAL/NURSE funding beginning July 1, 2026, increasing federal outlays over that period.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Relocation grants for rural clinicians
This bill would create a Rural Relocation Grant Program to pay eligible licensed doctors, nurses, and dentists up to $20,000 to move from non-rural to rural areas. You would need a permanent job and intend to practice at least three years. If you leave the required area before three years, you would repay 50% of the grant. The program would be funded with $1.8 billion for FY2026 through FY2035.
More residency funding and positions
This bill would increase payments and add new residency slots. Teaching health centers would get at least $170,000 per resident in FY2026, and that per-resident floor would rise by $10,000 each year after. The bill also would add up to 50,220 new residency positions from FY2027 through FY2036, with no more than 5,022 added in any single year. Each year at least 15% of new positions must be for psychiatry and 30% for primary care. The bill also lists yearly appropriations for FY2026–FY2035.
Dental school tuition with rural service
This bill would create DENTAL Grants to pay tuition and required fees for eligible dental students. You would need to complete a FAFSA and be Title IV eligible. Schools would receive at least 85% of funds before each payment period and grants could last up to 8 years. You would agree to practice general dental care in a rural area for at least 10 years within 15 years after finishing your degree and training. Your employer must certify qualifying work each year. If you fail the service obligation, some or all grant money could convert to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan with interest and caps; conversion rules depend on years of service and total conversion is capped at $50,000. Funds would be available starting July 1, 2026.
Medical tuition grants with service
This bill would create MED Grants to pay tuition and required fees for eligible medical students. You would need to complete a FAFSA and be Title IV eligible. Schools would receive at least 85% of funds before each payment period and grants could last up to 8 years. You would agree to practice primary care for at least 10 years within 15 years after finishing your degree and training. Your employer must certify qualifying work each year. If you fail the service obligation, some or all grant money could convert to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan with interest and caps; conversion rules depend on years of service and total conversion is capped at $50,000. Funds would be available starting July 1, 2026.
Grants to grow health school enrollment
This bill would fund 10-year grants to help medical, nursing, and dental schools add seats and supports. Medical schools must plan to increase enrollment 50% by year 2 and another 50% by year 4. Nursing schools must plan to increase enrollment 30% by year 2 and another 30% by year 4. Dental schools must plan to increase enrollment 20% by year 2 and another 20% by year 4. The bill authorizes roughly $2.8 billion for medicine, $1.98 billion for nursing, and $615 million for dentistry for FY2026–FY2035.
Nursing tuition grants for students
This bill would create NURSE Grants to pay tuition and required fees for eligible nursing students. You would need to complete a FAFSA and be Title IV eligible. Schools would receive at least 85% of funds before each payment period and grants could cover up to cost of attendance. You could get grants for the time needed to finish your nursing degree, not to exceed 8 years. Funds would be available starting July 1, 2026.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bernie Sanders
VT • I
Cosponsors
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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