Bipartisan legislation authored by Wisconsin Representatives Reid Ribble and Ron Kind under H.R. 4732 and S. 2671 by Senators Bill Nelson, Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin will fix a technical glitch in federal Medicare regulations related to physician residencies. The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) lauds introduction of both bills known as the Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act.
“WHA greatly appreciates the leadership of Reps. Ribble and Kind in authoring H.R. 4732, the Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act, and Sens. Johnson and Baldwin for their leadership on the Senate bill,” said WHA President/CEO Eric Borgerding. “This technical correction is essential for hospitals like those in Green Bay to be able to meet their community’s growing physician residency needs. WHA thanks the entire Wisconsin Congressional Delegation for their bipartisan support.”
H.R. 4732 and S. 2671 address a glitch in the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule that inappropriately caps the number of residency positions at HSHS St. Vincent and Bellin in Green Bay, said a WHA letter to Wisconsin U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives in support of the legislation.
“Our previous research found that some 86 percent of physicians who attend medical school in Wisconsin and complete their residency in Wisconsin stay in Wisconsin, said Borgerding. “With the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus enrolling its first class of students last year, making sure residency positions are available locally is essential.”
“WHA encourages Congress to act quickly on this important yet simple technical fix,” Borgerding said in a news release after the legislation was introduced. “Doing so will help Wisconsin continue to meet the needs of our patients and communities.”
Read WHA’s letter
here.
Read WHA’s news release
here.