The AAMC responded on June 21 to a proposal on Medicare-supported graduate medical education (GME) drafted by a bipartisan group of Finance Committee Senators and Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) [refer to Washington Highlights, May 24]. The proposal aims to address physician workforce shortages, challenges faced by rural and other underserved communities to accessing care, barriers to rural physician training, improved data collection and transparency, as well as other topics.
The AAMC response to the proposal recommended that the working group:
- Provide at least 10,000 new, Medicare-supported GME positions in both primary and specialty care.
- Promote expanded development of rural training programs and encourage rural teaching hospitals to apply for new positions.
- Avoid unnecessary and duplicative reporting requirements.
- Refrain from cutting hospital payments to offset the costs of new GME positions, including hospital outpatient department cuts or revisions to indirect medical education.
The working group is accepting responses until June 24.