U.S. Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA) on Oct. 4 introduced the bipartisan Stopping Doctor Shortages Act, legislation that could potentially help bring thousands of physicians to California in the coming years.
“This commonsense legislative fix will help attract more physicians to California,” Rep. Cook said. “This is especially important for rural areas like my district, where we have a shortage of medical resources and doctors.”
Rep. Cook is the lead cosponsor of H.R. 4607, which he introduced with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA) to include certain employment as a health care practitioner as eligible for public service loan forgiveness, according to the congressional record summary.
If enacted, H.R. 4607 would close a 2008 Department of Education loophole in federal regulations that unintentionally excluded some doctors in California and Texas from qualifying for the federal student loan repayment program, according to information from Rep. Cook’s office.
Specifically, H.R. 4607 would require the Education Department to permit doctors who conduct full-time work for nonprofits to qualify for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program regardless of whether the state allows direct employment, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman’s office.
“This bipartisan, technical fix will allow the program to be utilized by physicians in California and Texas who were inadvertently excluded from the original program, including those who practice in children’s hospitals and rural hospitals, and could help California retain or attract as many as 10,000 physicians over the next decade to address critical physician shortages in our state,” added Dr. David Aizuss, president of the California Medical Association.
H.R. 4607 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee.