April 10, 2019
Dear Member of Congress:
The undersigned organizations, representing over 65 associations and specialty societies, strongly encourage you to cosponsor the “The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019” (S. 348, H.R. 1763). This bipartisan legislation would provide a responsible increase in Medicare support for graduate medical education (GME) to address the impending national physician workforce shortage. While we understand the many challenges Congress faces in the coming months, we stress the need to expand Medicare’s support for physician training to ensure all Americans have access to the care they deserve.
As you may know, the demand for physicians continues to grow faster than supply, leading to a projected shortfall of between 42,600 and 121,300 physicians by 2030 with predicted shortages in both primary and specialty care. Physicians are a critical element of our health care infrastructure and workforce, and if we do not address this impending problem, patients from pediatrics to geriatrics, will find it difficult to access the care they need. While this is a serious issue for all of us, it is especially problematic because of our aging population and physician retirement. A person’s need for a physician increases with age, and the U.S. population aged 65 and older is predicted to grow 50% by 2030.
America’s medical schools, teaching hospitals, and their physician partners are doing their part by investing in physician and health care provider training and leading innovations in new care delivery models that are more efficient and include better use of technologies — like telehealth — that improve patient access to care. Even with these efforts, however, shortages and access challenges will persist unless we expand the physician workforce.
Though shortfalls will affect all Americans, the most vulnerable populations, like those in rural and underserved areas, will be the first to feel the impact of the deficit of physicians. We are particularly concerned for our senior population whose Medicare eligibility and utilization of health care grows daily.
We look forward to working together to support the training of future physicians and to secure the passage of this important legislation.
Sincerely,
Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine
Alliance of Specialty Medicine
AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
America’s Essential Hospitals
American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Association for Anatomy
American Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American Board of Medical Specialties
American College of Academic Addiction Medicine
American College of Cardiology
American College of Clinical Pharmacology®
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Osteopathic Internists
American College of Physicians
American College of Radiology
American College of Surgeons
American Gastroenterological Association
American Geriatrics Society
American Orthopaedic Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Society for Clinical Pathology
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society of Breast Surgeons
American Society of Echocardiography
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Urological Association
Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine
Association of Academic Physiatrists
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry
Association of Pathology Chairs
Association of Professors of Dermatology
Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology
Children's Hospital Association
College of American Pathologists
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Federation of American Hospitals
Greater New York Hospital Association
Healthcare Association of New York State
Illinois Health and Hospital Association
Medical Group Management Association
National Association of Spine Specialists
National Medical Association
Premier Healthcare Alliance
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
Society for Vascular Surgery
Society of Academic Associations of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Neurological Surgeons
The Academy for Professionalism in Health Care
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Vizient
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