Tillis introduces bipartisan bill to provide rural, underserved areas with doctors

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) recently introduced a bipartisan bill that would provide incentives to physicians to practice in America’s rural and medically underserved communities.

“Too many rural areas in North Carolina and across the country lack the healthcare workforce needed to provide quality and timely care,” Sen. Tillis said. “This bipartisan legislation will allow American-trained doctors to help fill those gaps so we can expand access to critical health care in medically underserved and health professional shortage areas.”

Specifically, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, S. 665, would allow international doctors to remain in the United States once they’ve completed their residency under the condition that they practice in areas experiencing doctor shortages, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Tillis’ staff. 

Sen. Tillis is one of 18 original cosponsors of S. 665, along with U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), John Thune (R-SD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). The bill was sponsored on March 6 by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

If enacted, S. 665 also would permit a three-year extension of the Conrad 30 waiver program, which allows J-1 visa holders who are medical doctors to apply for a waiver of the two-year residence requirement upon completion of the J-1 exchange visitor program. 

The bill also would improve the process for obtaining a visa, and allow for the program to be expanded beyond 30 slots if certain thresholds are met, according to the bill summary. In addition, S. 665 would provide worker protections to prevent doctors in the program from being mistreated, the summary says. 

The legislation is endorsed by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, the National Rural Health Association, the Niskanen Center, the American Academy of Neurology, and the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans.