U.S. Senator John Boozman is continuing efforts to increase access to reliable, quality health care for Arkansas by leading bills aimed to address doctor shortages in rural areas.
Two bills were introduced by Senator Boozman and Senator Jacky Rosen. The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, which seeks to ease financial burdens on medical professionals completing medical training, and the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act, which would increase available medical residency spots, prioritizing placement in rural and under served areas.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the U.S. is projected to have a shortage between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034. In Arkansas, more than 500,000 residents live in an area defined by the federal government as lacking the adequate number of health professionals to serve the population.
Senator Boozman says “Addressing the shortage of medical professionals is a necessary step in ensuring Arkansans are able to access affordable and reliable health care no matter where they live. These bipartisan bills are practical efforts to encourage students to pursue careers in medicine by helping mitigate some of the financial barriers and burdens associated with internship and residency requirements while also ensuring more medical school graduates train and go on to practice in the communities that desperately need them.”
The REDI Act would allow medical professionals to defer their student loan payments without accruing interest until the completion of their respective residency or internship program. The deferment is meant to decrease financial strain for future medical providers who face a median medical debt of over $200,000 upon graduation.
The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act will attempt to redistribute residency slots to prioritize areas experiencing medical professional shortages. Physicians are likely to practice medicine where they complete their residencies and opening more opportunities in rural communities could help ensure Arkansans have access to reliable health care.
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