Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 2. Distribution of additional residency positions (a) In general Section 1886(h) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h) (1) in paragraph (4)(F)(i), by striking and (9) (9), and (10) (2) in paragraph (4)(H)(i), by striking and (9) (9), and (10) (3) in paragraph (7)(E), by inserting paragraph (10), paragraph (9), (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (10) Distribution of additional residency positions (A) Additional residency positions (i) In general For each of fiscal years 2023 through 2029 (and succeeding fiscal years if the Secretary determines that there are additional residency positions available to distribute under clause (iii)(II)), the Secretary shall increase the otherwise applicable resident limit for each qualifying hospital (as defined in subparagraph (G)) that submits a timely application under this subparagraph by such number as the Secretary may approve for portions of cost reporting periods occurring on or after July 1 of the fiscal year of the increase. Except as provided in clause (iii), the aggregate number of increases in the otherwise applicable resident limit under this subparagraph shall be equal to 2,000 in each of fiscal years 2023 through 2029. (ii) Process for distributing positions (I) Rounds of applications The Secretary shall initiate 7 separate rounds of applications for an increase under clause (i), 1 round with respect to each of fiscal years 2023 through 2029. (II) Number available In each of such rounds, the aggregate number of positions available for distribution in the fiscal year as a result of an increase in the otherwise applicable resident limit (as described in clause (i)) shall be distributed, plus any additional positions available under clause (iii). (III) Timing The Secretary shall notify hospitals of the number of positions distributed to the hospital under this paragraph as result of an increase in the otherwise applicable resident limit by January 31 of the fiscal year of the increase. Such increase shall be effective for portions of cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1 of that fiscal year. (iii) Positions not distributed during the fiscal year (I) In general If the number of resident full-time equivalent positions distributed under this paragraph in a fiscal year is less than the aggregate number of positions available for distribution in the fiscal year (as described in clause (i), including after application of this subclause), the difference between such number distributed and such number available for distribution shall be added to the aggregate number of positions available for distribution in the following fiscal year. (II) Exception if positions not distributed by end of fiscal year 2029 If the aggregate number of positions distributed under this paragraph during the 7-year period of fiscal years 2023 through 2029 is less than 14,000, the Secretary shall, in accordance with the considerations described in subparagraph (B)(i) and the priority described in subparagraph (B)(ii), conduct an application and distribution process in each subsequent fiscal year until such time as the aggregate amount of positions distributed under this paragraph is equal to 14,000. (B) Distribution to certain hospitals (i) Consideration in distribution In determining for which hospitals the increase in the otherwise applicable resident limit is provided under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall take into account the demonstrated likelihood of the hospital filling the positions made available under this paragraph within the first 5 cost reporting periods beginning after the date the increase would be effective, as determined by the Secretary. (ii) Minimum distribution for certain categories of hospitals With respect to the aggregate number of such positions available for distribution under this paragraph, the Secretary shall distribute not less than 10 percent of such aggregate number to each of the following categories of hospitals: (I) Hospitals that are located in a rural area (as defined in subsection (d)(2)(D)) or are treated as being located in a rural area pursuant to subsection (d)(8)(E). (II) Hospitals in which the reference resident level of the hospital (as specified in subparagraph (G)(iii)) is greater than the otherwise applicable resident limit. (III) Hospitals in States with— (aa) new medical schools that received Candidate School Pre-Accreditation Full Accreditation Accreditation (bb) additional locations and branch campuses established on or after January 1, 2000, by medical schools with Full Accreditation Accreditation (IV) Hospitals that serve areas designated as health professional shortage areas under section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act, as determined by the Secretary. (C) Prohibition on distribution to hospitals without an increase agreement No increase in the otherwise applicable resident limit of a hospital may be made under this paragraph unless such hospital agrees to increase the total number of full-time equivalent residency positions under the approved medical residency training program of such hospital by the number of such positions made available by such increase under this paragraph. (D) Limitation (i) In general Except as provided in clause (ii), a hospital may not receive more than 75 full-time equivalent additional residency positions in the aggregate under this paragraph and paragraph (9) over the period of fiscal years 2023 through 2029. (ii) Increase in number of additional positions a hospital may receive The Secretary shall increase the aggregate number of full-time equivalent additional residency positions a hospital may receive under this paragraph over such period if the Secretary estimates that the number of positions available for distribution under subparagraph (A) exceeds the number of applications approved under such subparagraph over such period. (E) Application of per resident amounts for primary care and nonprimary care With respect to additional residency positions in a hospital attributable to the increase provided under this paragraph, the approved FTE per resident amounts are deemed to be equal to the hospital per resident amounts for primary care and nonprimary care computed under paragraph (2)(D) for that hospital. (F) Permitting facilities to apply aggregation rules The Secretary shall permit hospitals receiving additional residency positions attributable to the increase provided under this paragraph to, beginning in the fifth year after the effective date of such increase, apply such positions to the limitation amount under paragraph (4)(F) that may be aggregated pursuant to paragraph (4)(H) among members of the same affiliated group. (G) Definitions In this paragraph: (i) Otherwise applicable resident limit The term otherwise applicable resident limit (ii) Qualifying hospital The term qualifying hospital (iii) Reference resident level The term reference resident level (iv) Resident level The term resident level . (b) IME (1) In general Section 1886(d)(5)(B)(v) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(B)(v) and (h)(9) (h)(9), and (h)(10) (2) Conforming provision Section 1886(d)(5)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(B) (xiii) For discharges occurring on or after July 1, 2023, insofar as an additional payment amount under this subparagraph is attributable to resident positions distributed to a hospital under subsection (h)(10), the indirect teaching adjustment factor shall be computed in the same manner as provided under clause (ii) with respect to such resident positions. . 3. Study and report on strategies for increasing diversity (a) Study The Comptroller General of the United States (in this section referred to as the Comptroller General (b) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.

Summary: Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2023-FY2029; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.