To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make improvements to the redistribution of residency slots under the Medicare program after a hospital closes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · December 18, 2024
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act amends Medicare's rules for how medical residency training positions are redistributed when a hospital closes. Currently, when a hospital shuts down, its residency slots may be reallocated to other facilities, but the process has limitations on which hospitals can receive them. This bill modifies the criteria to give more hospitals access to these positions, prioritizing those that are likely to start using the residency slots within two years and fill them within five years. The changes apply to any hospital closures that occur after the bill becomes law. The legislation aims to ensure that closed hospitals' residency positions are distributed more efficiently to facilities serving underserved areas, helping address physician shortages in regions with limited medical training opportunities.
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