Fact Sheet: The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019

The Issue

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 imposed caps on the number of residents for which each teaching hospital is eligible to receive Medicare direct graduate medical education (DGME) and indirect medical education (IME) payments. These caps have remained in place and have generally only been adjusted as a result of certain limited and one-time programs.

AHA Position

The AHA supports the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019 (H.R. 1763/S. 348), which would increase the number of residency positions eligible for Medicare DGME and IME support by 15,000 slots above the current caps.