AHA, others urge Congress to reauthorize and expand workforce program for foreign-born staff 

The AHA and dozens of other organizations yesterday urged House and Senate sponsors of the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act to reauthorize and expand the program which allows foreign-born medical graduates trained in the U.S. to practice medicine in rural and underserved areas. The bipartisan legislation would increase current state allocations from 30 to 35 physicians per year and provide flexibility to expand the number of waivers in states where demand exceeds that limit. 

“One of the strengths of the Conrad 30 program is its flexible design, which allows each state to tailor the program to meet its specific healthcare needs,” the organizations wrote. “This reauthorization will reinforce that flexibility while providing needed clarity and incentives to attract and retain more highly qualified physicians. As workforce shortages worsen, Congress must act with urgency to advance this legislation and strengthen one of the most successful programs for addressing healthcare workforce shortages.”