Bill Overview
Title: Building a Health Care Workforce for the Future Act
Description: This bill establishes, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), grant programs for health professional education and training. It also requires the National Academy of Medicine (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine) to study the documentation requirements for cognitive services under Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers, including administrative and labor costs of such documentation. For the first grant program, HHS must award matching grants to states for scholarships to ensure an adequate supply of health professionals. As a condition of receiving scholarships, recipients must agree to work in areas with shortages of health care providers for one year for each year they receive the scholarship. For the second grant program, HHS must award grants to medical and other health professions schools to improve curricula for, and education and training on, certain priority competencies, such as patient-centered medical homes and chronic disease management. The Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry shall select these competencies annually. For the last grant program, HHS may award grants to medical schools for primary care mentorship programs to support faculty who serve as mentors and encourage interest in primary care among students.
Sponsors: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36]
Target Audience
Population: Current and future healthcare professionals
Estimated Size: 3800000
- The bill impacts current and future healthcare professionals, as it focuses on education, training, and encouraging careers in healthcare.
- By establishing grant programs, the bill aims to address healthcare workforce shortages, affecting areas with current shortages of health workers.
- The requirement for scholarship recipients to work in shortage areas directly impacts healthcare provision in underserved communities.
- Improving curricula in medical and health professions schools impacts the education and preparedness of future healthcare providers across various competencies.
- The focus on primary care mentorship affects faculty in medical schools and could attract more students to primary care pathways.
Reasoning
- The policy targets current and future healthcare professionals, estimated at 3,800,000 individuals in the US. However, the reach may vary based on the specific programs and their implementation scope.
- The policy's impact will be seen in educational improvements, workforce distribution, and primary care mentorship.
- Those in underserved areas might experience tangible improvements in healthcare provision due to increased workforce.
- Considering the budget, significant resources will be allocated toward scholarship and training programs, potentially affecting the Cantril wellbeing scores of those involved in the education sector directly, and indirectly those in impacted communities.
- There's also an expectation of minor to medium long-term improvements in overall healthcare system efficiency due to better documentation practices.
Simulated Interviews
Medical Student (Rural Kansas)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The scholarship program is a crucial opportunity for me because it eases my financial burden, allowing me to focus on my studies.
- Working in a rural area aligns with my career goals, and this policy provides a pathway to do exactly that.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Senior Medical Resident (New York City)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Primary care mentorship will greatly enhance our training experience. It's about time this focus was given.
- I see it leading to more interest in primary care among peers, which is crucial for the future.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Primary Care Physician (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having more trained professionals in the pipeline is great. I have seen first-hand the struggles due to shortages.
- Mentorship support ensures we guide students effectively when they need it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Undergraduate Pre-Med Student (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The scholarship program could tremendously reduce stress related to educational costs for many students like myself.
- The policy provides a clear pathway for those interested in primary care and rural health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Professor of Medicine (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The grant to improve curricula addresses significant gaps in current programs, which is much needed.
- It will ensure our graduates are well-prepared for the evolving healthcare environment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Healthcare Administrator (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The study on documentation requirements is a step forward in reducing unnecessary workloads.
- Streamlining these processes will positively affect all involved in the healthcare system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Nursing Student (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The scholarship initiative will make a massive difference for nursing students, reducing stress about tuition.
- Working in underserved areas also feels fulfilling, knowing you're making a direct impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Dental Student (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More grants and scholarships will significantly ease financial burdens for dental and other health students.
- The service requirements encourage a sense of duty and fulfillment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Public Health Officer (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increasing healthcare workforce in shortage areas will improve service access, one of our major concerns.
- This policy directly addresses one of the challenges in public health management.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Health IT Specialist (San Francisco, California)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Streamlining documentation through this policy could greatly enhance system efficiency.
- The proposed implementations will relieve indirect burdens on IT systems and staff.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $750000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $800000000)
Year 2: $800000000 (Low: $750000000, High: $850000000)
Year 3: $850000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $900000000)
Year 5: $950000000 (Low: $900000000, High: $1000000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The cost of training a healthcare professional varies significantly among different health professions, affecting grant amounts.
- Long-term success of the program depends on recipients remaining in shortage areas beyond their service commitments.
- Monitoring and evaluation costs need to be considered to ensure program goals are met.
- Changes in demand for healthcare services or trends in healthcare education could affect the program's assumptions.