The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing February 24 to examine innovative ways to train America's health care workforce, with a focus on serving rural and underserved communities. "Our nation is facing a very real problem – a rapidly depleting health care workforce,” said Adrian Smith (R-NE) who presided over the hearing. Rep. Smith emphasized the shortage of physicians in rural communities noting that 83 million Americans live in an area with too few primary care physicians.
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) in his remarks plugged the need for passage of the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act which would streamline and improve the transparency of prior authorization processes used by Medicare Advantage plans.
Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA) both raised concerns with the Administration’s new H-1B
policy that orders prospective employers to pay an additional $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers abroad, effective September 21, 2025. There is no exception for physicians.