Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, and Congressman Adam Smith, D-Washington introduced the Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act and the Internationally Trained Physicians Assistance Act, two bills to help immigrants enter the U.S. health care workforce and address the nation’s shortage of health care providers.
The lawmakers quoted a 2022 study by the Migration Policy Institute which found that 2.1 million college-educated immigrants are unemployed or underemployed, even as sectors like health care face mounting workforce shortages, including a projected shortfall of up to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
“Skilled doctors, nurses, and other health professionals should have the opportunity to put their training and expertise to work caring for patients,” Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is quoted saying in the press release. “Our legislation would help qualified immigrants overcome unnecessary barriers to entering the health care workforce while helping communities address critical provider shortages. When we make better use of the talent already in our communities, we strengthen our health care system and expand access to care.”
“We have thousands of skilled nurses, doctors, and health professionals in this country whose training and expertise are going to waste because their professional expertise is not recognized and they face numerous barriers to achieve the needed licensure. At the same time, our health care system is stretched thin and patients are waiting longer for care,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “This bill package helps immigrants put their skills to work and serve their communities and will rebuild the health care system.”
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Several advocacy organizations expressed their support for the bills, including US Policy and Practice of World Education Services, Upwardly Global, and Nashi Immigrants Health Board, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Sea Mar Community Health Center, Seattle Indian Health Board, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, and Talent Beyond Boundaries,
The Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act would help immigrants, regardless of previous health care experience, enter the nursing and allied health workforce, the lawmakers contend, by creating grants for programs that provide training, licensing, certification, and case management for immigrants interested in entering the health care field; and by opening eligibility for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to non-U.S.-citizen immigrants.
An estimated 200,000 nurses per year will need to be hired to meet increased demand and replace retiring nurses, the two Congressmen estimate. This bill supports immigrants entering nursing or an allied health profession, including dental hygienists, dietitians, medical technologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, and speech language pathologists.
The Internationally Trained Physicians Assistance Act would help internationally trained physicians (ITPs) obtain a U.S. medical license by incentivizing states to create temporary licensing programs allowing internationally educated immigrants with medical degrees to practice under supervision while completing the training and certification needed for a U.S. medical license. It would also establish guaranteed medical residency slots for ITPs to practice in predominantly medically underserved communities. And lastly, it would provide grants to help cover the cost of exam preparation, testing, certification, ESL classes, and case management for ITPs in need of financial assistance.