Bill Overview
Title: Train More Doctors Act of 2022
Description: This bill extends the resident cap building period for purposes of Medicare graduate medical education payments for hospitals that began training residents in a new program between July 1, 2018, and July 1, 2021, to take into account the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on these hospitals.
Sponsors: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-10]
Target Audience
Population: Medical residents and associated hospital personnel
Estimated Size: 500000
- The bill affects hospitals that began training residents in a new program between July 1, 2018, and July 1, 2021.
- The main beneficiaries are the medical residents who are trained under these programs, as their training environment may improve due to sustained or increased funding.
- Patients relying on services from these hospitals may indirectly benefit from having more trained medical residents.
- As the legislation pertains to US Medicare payments, this will mainly impact people in the United States.
- The broader medical community, including doctors and healthcare professionals involved in residency training, will also be impacted.
Reasoning
- The target population includes medical residents in new programs from July 2018 to July 2021, potentially improving their training environment by securing funding through the policy.
- The secondary impact is on patients at hospitals receiving more well-trained medical professionals due to extended funding support.
- Budget distribution suggests limiting the policy to specific hospitals rather than nationwide coverage immediately, hence impacting a smaller subset initially.
- Indirectly, the policy affects healthcare quality and subsequently wellbeing for patients relying on these hospitals.
Simulated Interviews
Medical Resident (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm optimistic this bill will improve my training environment by keeping our program funded.
- It relieves anxiety about resources for education and patient care.
- Ensuring funds help us focus more on learning and less on institutional financial struggles.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Hospital Administrator (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy helps us stabilize finances for resident training post-COVID.
- We can maintain program quality without cutting resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Patient (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved training for residents can improve care quality at the hospital.
- I expect better attention and potentially quicker services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Doctor actively involved in resident training (Houston, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy reassures support for our teaching staff and resources needed for training.
- It directly affects my workload and enhances the education quality we provide.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I care about the quality of care, so better trained doctors appeal to me.
- Ensuring hospitals can keep training residents post-COVID is good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Medical Resident (Austin, TX)
Age: 32 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel relieved knowing resources will continue or improve, especially after COVID interruptions.
- Morale is vital, and I think the funding supports our program's growth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Nurse (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could lead to more resident staffing, directly affecting teamwork efficiency.
- It might reduce stress for both residents and us nurses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Medical School Faculty (Boston, MA)
Age: 46 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Long-term stability for residency programs is essential, and this policy supports that.
- It can allow us to attract better talent knowing our programs are uninterrupted.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Healthcare Policy Analyst (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The immediate impact is somewhat narrow, but beneficial for needed training continuity.
- It can have lasting effects on healthcare workforce preparation post-COVID.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Public Health Expert (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope the policy sparks broader initiatives for similar restructures post-crisis.
- It addresses critical areas, but requires mindful spending to reach full impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 2: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 3: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 5: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Hospitals affected by COVID-19 may need prolonged funding to train residents effectively.
- The bill may require re-allocation of existing Medicare budget or an increase in the budget to cover additional costs.
- Long term benefits could include a better-trained healthcare workforce and improved healthcare outcomes due to better-prepared medical professionals entering the system.