Bills · HR 4731
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 4731Health
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025
INTRO JUL 23· LAST ACTION JUL 23
READING
11MIN
COSPONSORS
131
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill addresses a critical and growing shortage of doctors in the United States, which impacts patient access to care, wait times for appointments, and overall community health. The current system caps the number of residency positions that Medicare funds, limiting the pipeline of new physicians. If this bill becomes law, it would significantly expand that pipeline by creating 14,000 new training opportunities, helping to alleviate staffing pressures in hospitals and clinics.
If the bill doesn't pass, the doctor shortage is expected to worsen. By increasing residency positions, the bill aims to ensure that medical school graduates can complete their training and become practicing physicians, particularly focusing on areas like primary care and general surgery which are often in high demand. This directly impacts how easily people can see a doctor, get preventative care, or receive necessary surgical procedures in the future.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Adds 2,000 new federally funded medical residency positions each year for seven years, totaling 14,000 positions by 2032, with the possibility of extending if not all positions are filled.
This directly increases the number of training slots for new doctors, addressing a national physician shortage.
PROVISION 02
Reserves one-third of the new positions for hospitals that are already training more residents than their current Medicare funding limits allow, provided they train at least 25% of their residents in primary care and general surgery.
This helps hospitals cover the costs of residents they are already training and supports specialties often facing shortages.
PROVISION 03
Establishes a process for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to distribute these positions annually through application rounds, considering a hospital's likelihood to fill the positions quickly.
This creates a structured and efficient way to get new doctors into training programs where they are most needed.
PROVISION 04
Unused residency positions from one year will be rolled over and added to the pool for the following year's distribution.
This ensures that all authorized positions are eventually distributed, maximizing the impact of the program.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 131
D· Alabama
YRS IN OFFICE
15
BILLS LED
15
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 18%
DEM 119 REP 12 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
3 EVENTSJUL 23
Introduced in House
JUL 23
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
JUL 23
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 4731
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJul 23, 2025
Last actionJul 23, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JUL 23, 2025
House BillHR 4731Health
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025
INTRODUCED JUL 23, 2025· LAST ACTION JUL 23, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
11 min
COSPONSORS
131
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
