Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) introduced the "Medicare Critical Need GME Protection Act of 1999" today in order to provide the Secretary of HHS with authority to continue full funding of direct graduate medical education (GME) for specialties in which there are critical shortages of physicians.
"Congress already recognizes two subspecialties for full funding of GME -- preventive medicine and geriatric medicine. My bill simply provides the Secretary with the flexibility to define other appropriate specialties and subspecialties for similar treatment, and to provide full GME funding for as long as the Secretary deems it is necessary," Rep. Stark explained. "In general, the U.S. has an oversupply of physicians. But there are exceptions. We should not hinder training of specialists where there is evidence of a serious shortage."
Under current law, Medicare GME funding is provided to hospitals in order to fully underwrite the direct costs of resident training. But Medicare's reimbursement for additional training in a specialty or subspecialty is about half that for normal residency training.
"By giving the Secretary the ability to allocate funds to attract and train professionals in certain 'at risk' fields of medicine, we will simultaneously improve patient care and lower long -term health care costs," Rep. Stark declared.
"This bill is only the first of many steps needed to improve Medicare's
graduate medical education program," Rep. Stark continued. "The system needs a
complete overhaul. I hope that Congress will soon turn its attention to true GME
reform that asks all health plans -- not just Medicare -- to subsidize the cost
of training medical residents."
Contact: Debbie Curtis