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house Bill H.R. 2124

Creating More Residency Positions For Medical Students

Argument in favor

The U.S. is facing a significant physician shortage that will only get worse as the population ages. This bill will ensure that there are more well trained physicians available to the public.

Curmudgeon's Opinion
···
07/21/2015
This must be the H1B skilled visa issue. On one hand Obamacare had opened the floodgates for illegals getting Medicaid, while handcuffing our Physicians into being its own employee interns instead of self employed professional entrepreneurs. So of course many doctors will retire or go into cash and carry concierge practices. This bill lets Obama off the hook for the shortfall by admitting Muslim witch doctors from Nairobi or whatever to take up the slack. Aren't you delighted?
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TheMillenialSocialWorker's Opinion
···
05/21/2015
The problem with how the U.S. Is responding to the impending physician shortage is by trying to get more students into medical school, however that is counterintuitive because the residencies required for postgraduate medical training still have limited positions. We need to open that to give more physicians comprehensive training.
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JayinNC's Opinion
···
12/26/2016
Why not, better than building a new NUKE right trump?
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Argument opposed

Changing the way that hospitals are compensated for taking on residents won’t necessarily increase the number of doctors. Funding training through Medicare is not the solution.

SherryTX's Opinion
···
07/12/2015
The doctor shortage is a result of decreased reimbursement and increased overhead. They spend more time on paperwork than treating patients. This is one instance where we need to turn back the clock and go back to the patient centered model. After 30 years in health care, I can tell you it is all about the numbers now because without them docs can't pay the bills. Add to the problem of and over litigious population and docs are ordering tests FOR CYA and insurance won't approve tests the docs feel they need. Docs can't order tests to rule out anything anymore or look for problems because if it is found not to be there, insurance won't pay.
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ark4162's Opinion
···
06/22/2015
Get out of the damn education and health business already. Its not the federal government's job.
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John's Opinion
···
07/03/2015
Stay out of our schools. If you want to increase our dwindling doctor population, you should address the failing and failed Federal Medical programs (Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid).
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What is House Bill H.R. 2124?

This bill would change the way funds are distributed through Medicare for medical resident positions and graduate medical education (GME) costs. H.R. 1201's aims to increase the number of Medicare residency positions by 15,000.


Currently, Medicare contributes funding to offset the costs facing teaching hospitals from educating residents and caring for patients with more complex needs.


The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) would be directed to increase the limit on residents for each qualifying hospital between 2014 and 2018. Each year the HHS Secretary would determine the total number of residency positions, however, the aggregate number of increases in the resident limit would be set at 3,000 each year.


The Secretary would adjust medical education payments to hospitals based on patient care performance. All GME and medical education payments would be reported to Congress.

Impact

Doctors completing their residency, sick people, Medicare recipients, teaching hospitals, other medical facilities, and the Comptroller General.

Cost of House Bill H.R. 2124

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

More Information

Of Note:

It has been speculated that by 2020 America will have shortage of 45,000 doctors, which will be compounded by increased demand for healthcare. Some have argued that the physician shortage will be alleviated by technological innovation, in addition to an increased role for nurses, aides, pharmacists, dieticians, and other non-physician care providers.

This would be a welcome reprieve, as a Physicians Foundation survey found that 80% of doctors feel they’re either overextended or at full capacity.

It remains to be seen whether or not the healthcare system can adjust to cope with an increased demand for services. But while the number of first-year medical students has recently rebounded from its slump, the shortage of positions available for residency remains.

The Wall Street Journal notes that in 2010 there were approximately 110,000 resident positions in the U.S., and that the teaching hospitals which staffed them relied heavily on Medicare payments for their compensation. The program which helps match residents with available positions found that there were nearly 5000 more applicants than openings.


Media:

Sponsoring Reps. Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) Joint Press Release

Association of American Medical Colleges Position Paper (In Favor)

CNN

Wall Street Journal

Forbes

(Photo Credit: Flickr user phalinn)

AKA

Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2015

Official Title

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions, and for other purposes.

bill Progress

  • Not enacted
    The President has not signed this bill
  • The senate has not voted
  • The house has not voted
      house Committees
      Committee on Energy and Commerce
      Health
      Committee on Ways and Means
      Health
    IntroducedApril 30th, 2015
    John's Opinion Against
    ···
    07/03/2015
    Stay out of our schools. If you want to increase our dwindling doctor population, you should address the failing and failed Federal Medical programs (Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid).
    Like (3)
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    Share
    ark4162's Opinion Against
    ···
    06/22/2015
    Get out of the damn education and health business already. Its not the federal government's job.
    Like (3)
    Follow
    Share
    SherryTX's Opinion Against
    ···
    07/12/2015
    The doctor shortage is a result of decreased reimbursement and increased overhead. They spend more time on paperwork than treating patients. This is one instance where we need to turn back the clock and go back to the patient centered model. After 30 years in health care, I can tell you it is all about the numbers now because without them docs can't pay the bills. Add to the problem of and over litigious population and docs are ordering tests FOR CYA and insurance won't approve tests the docs feel they need. Docs can't order tests to rule out anything anymore or look for problems because if it is found not to be there, insurance won't pay.
    Like (3)
    Follow
    Share
    Curmudgeon's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    07/21/2015
    This must be the H1B skilled visa issue. On one hand Obamacare had opened the floodgates for illegals getting Medicaid, while handcuffing our Physicians into being its own employee interns instead of self employed professional entrepreneurs. So of course many doctors will retire or go into cash and carry concierge practices. This bill lets Obama off the hook for the shortfall by admitting Muslim witch doctors from Nairobi or whatever to take up the slack. Aren't you delighted?
    Like (1)
    Follow
    Share
    JayinNC's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    12/26/2016
    Why not, better than building a new NUKE right trump?
    Like (1)
    Follow
    Share
    Mark's Opinion Against
    ···
    06/13/2016
    Finding via medicare is a joke.
    Like (1)
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    TheMillenialSocialWorker's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    05/21/2015
    The problem with how the U.S. Is responding to the impending physician shortage is by trying to get more students into medical school, however that is counterintuitive because the residencies required for postgraduate medical training still have limited positions. We need to open that to give more physicians comprehensive training.
    Like (1)
    Follow
    Share
    Patrick's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    05/03/2016
    Abolish three medical administrative poisons and the regulations that mandate them, to fund each new resident, but no residents for plastic surgery.
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    Chas's Opinion Against
    ···
    04/07/2016
    Huge problem, but not a good solution. Other funding methods should be found.
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    Alex's Opinion Against
    ···
    12/16/2015
    Should be up to the hospitals. Also, there are enough profits at hospitals, they don't need more federal funding for this program.
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    David's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    12/31/2015
    Increasing # of MD's is important to being able to provide all American access to health care.
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    PieceKeepr's Opinion Against
    ···
    12/30/2015
    This is not the government's job.
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    Roberto's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/02/2015
    There are plenty of doctors---- forign ones. Dont hospitals employ doctors and nurses with English skills?
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    Alis's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    07/02/2015
    Our health care system has failed us. Something needs to be done so Americans can get care that doesn't look like the 19th century. Of course I live in Medieval FL so what do know? I flee whenever I need competent healthcare. Malaysia has a great system.
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    Marvin's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    06/24/2015
    Been to a doctor lately? All of mine have come from a foreign country. Oh, they're good doctors, but what about Americans? I'd like to see more of them in practice to fill the shortage, not immigrants. Vote yes to this bill.
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    Bfallen07's Opinion Against
    ···
    07/10/2015
    Shouldn't have voted in the ACA
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    Mary's Opinion Against
    ···
    11/01/2015
    Not unless it's for 2nd generation Americans
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    David's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    02/10/2020
    The current number of residency positions funded by the government is based on an environment that is over 20 years old. Our medical schools are trying to address the shortage of physicians by opening new schools and increasing class size, but the downstream isn't open yet, and soon there will be graduates without a residency training job to go to. To say that this isn't the government's problem is short-sighted. In my area, patients are waiting for months on end to address real problems--High blood pressures, diabetes, etc. These things, if unchecked lead to emergency room visits for strokes, ketoacidosis, along with a whole other slew of complications that then lead to expensive hospital stays, and ultimately, more tax dollars being utilized that may have been avoided if there was only access to a primary care physician.
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    Thomas's Opinion Against
    ···
    12/27/2016
    Why do democrats/ idiots think that they only solution is more government and more spending? Government is the problem and more government just means a bigger problem!
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    Adnan's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    07/07/2019
    We need more trained physicians to help with availability and access to care
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