Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nevada, is pushing for legislation to address the doctor shortage in Nevada’s underserved areas. The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act aims to change the Graduate Medical Education process to give residency programs in Nevada and other areas with severe physician shortages a better chance at gaining more medical residency slots. Lee sent a letter to Gov. Joe Lombardo asking for his support for the bill, which she introduced in January alongside Republican Rep. Troy Balderson and Sen. Jacky Rosen.
All 17 counties in Nevada are experiencing a shortage of doctors, and the state would need to hire 1,500 primary care physicians to reach the national average. Lee emphasized the need for more Graduate Medical Education slots in Nevada to address this shortage.
Governor Lombardo’s office is currently reviewing Lee’s proposal and plans to unveil his own health care legislation in the coming weeks. The bill aims to allocate Graduate Medical Education slots to areas with doctor shortages, particularly when a hospital closes down.
Lee highlighted that for every 10 medical students educated in Nevada, there are only seven GME slots available. She hopes that by increasing the number of GME slots in the state, more doctors will be encouraged to practice in Nevada’s communities in need.
Overall, the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act aims to bring more doctors to underserved communities in Nevada and address the state’s severe provider shortages. Lee is hopeful that with the support of Governor Lombardo and other lawmakers, the bill will help alleviate the doctor shortage in the state.
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