119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 7686
The Rural and Underserved Health Care Staffing Act establishes federal recognition that temporary contract physicians and advanced care practitioners (such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants) working as locum tenens are independent contractors rather than employees. This classification applies to qualified workers providing temporary medical services at a single location for up to one continuous year, and exempts them from federal employment laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, and various anti-discrimination and family leave requirements. The bill affects rural and underserved healthcare facilities seeking to fill temporary staffing gaps with contract clinicians, as well as the temporary healthcare workers themselves, though it does not change tax obligations, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rules, unemployment compensation eligibility, or state-level licensing requirements. The legislation takes effect upon enactment and applies only to services performed after the bill's adoption, with no explicit funding allocation specified.