WASHINGTON – A bill aimed at modernizing the physician workforce program in the United States, along with strengthening access to care across the nation, has been introduced by a pair of regional U.S. Senators.
Senators Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the legislation that seeks to aid states struggling to recruit doctors in rural communities. The bill would modernize the Conrad J-1 Visa Waiver Program in the United States, which is typically used by international medical graduates to complete medical residency and training.
“States everywhere in the nation are struggling to recruit physicians for our rural communities, and our bill gives them some better tools to respond,” said Cramer. “It modernizes the Conrad 30 program by increasing flexibility for the state and establishes a new matching system that will better connect qualified doctors with the areas that really need them most.”
Klobuchar and Cramer’s bill is supported by several organizations.
“Rural and other medically underserved areas do not have adequate access to health care or doctors. Over the last 15 years, the Conrad 30 program has brought more than 23,000 physicians to underserved areas, filling a critical need,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will enable more physicians trained in the U.S. to practice in underserved communities, and help states improve health care access for families while retaining critical medical talent.”
