Federal government's $1 billion effort to recruit next generation of doctors at risk

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Jul 6, 2023 • 6 min read

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(AP) Thousands of rural women in eastern Maryland are left with few choices when it comes to finding someone to deliver their baby.

Chesapeake Health Care is the clinic that most women turn to when they need an obstetrician. This region, surrounded by antique shops and sprawling fields of farmland, lacks a local hospital with a doctor who specializes in obstetrics.

Five of the ten obstetricians at the clinic work for the National Health Service Corps. This program promises to pay $50,000 of medical school debts per doctor who serves in rural, poor or urban areas.

Chief medical officer of the clinic, Dr. Lee Jennings, said that OB was a difficult field to recruit. He did not know why. 'We are isolated. We're the only OB practice in our area.

In the last three fiscal years, taxpayers have invested millions of dollars in the

National Health Service Corps

In exchange for the forgiveness of medical school loans, the government hired thousands more doctors and nurse willing to serve in the most needy regions of the country during the COVID-19 epidemic. The expansion of the program is now in danger, as the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. This comes at a time when people are struggling to receive timely and high-quality care due to a shortage of workers.

The funding for the program will expire at the end September. However, President Joe Biden has asked Congress to approve an additional half-billion dollars for the project as part of his budget.

As the coronavirus raged, the U.S. Congress allocated $800 million to the program as part of stimulus packages. Just over 20,000 corps members were in the United States last year.

Increase of 50% from 13,000 in 2019.

In community health centers across the country, medical professionals from a wide range of disciplines have been placed. These include occupational therapists and counselors that treat alcoholism and drug addictions. These clinics receive federal funding for primary care, regardless of the patients' health insurance status and ability to pay.

Republicans and Democrats have expressed their gratitude for the role that corps members play in rural communities and other areas of need. The U.S. lacks thousands of family physicians, OB/GYNs, and nurses.

A problem that will only get worse over the next 10 years

Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont senator who chairs the powerful Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, made this issue the main topic of discussion at hearings. Sanders stated that in his state people complained about waiting as long as 5 months to see a doctor for a routine physical.

He told The Associated Press that the situation would get worse if funding for corps is not increased and renewed.

Sanders stated that people will struggle to locate a mental health counsellor or a dentist. Sanders said that if it is bad right now, then it will only get worse.

Last month, the House Republicans introduced a bill to continue funding the Corps program but not provide the same amount of cash as Biden had requested.

The Republican Rep. John Joyce who introduced the bill said, "One of the most persistent issues I have heard in my district is the shortage in health care workers and physicians." This was during a hearing in Congress last month on the shortage in health care workers.

The future of the program is still in doubt, as a divided Congress is just weeks away from allowing America to default on its obligations. Carole Johnson, the head of the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, which oversees the funding for corps, says that uncertainty about funding makes it hard for clinics to hire providers.

We're hoping to continue growing. Johnson stated that there is a demand for the product. All the conversations we've had were very positive, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

Over the last four years, the mental health program has seen a significant increase in staffing. More than 2,000 new counselors, psychologists and substance abuse counselors have been hired.

About eight of the Haymarket Center’s providers are members of the corps. Around 12,000 patients are seen at the center every year. Many of them are homeless. The Haymarket Center, a not-for profit, can recruit health care workers on a competitive market. They also get a bonus: up to $250,000 of student loan repayment.

Collord explained that 'we might not be in a position to compensate our staff at the highest level, so being part of the program gives us the opportunity to offer a benefit to other sites.

Stephen Robinson was able to become the family doctor he had always wanted to be because of student loan forgiveness. He was worried about his mounting student loan debt and watched as some of his classmates went on to earn more money as specialists. His dad did some research and found the National Health Service Corps.

Robinson stated that if more providers believed they could still pay their debts and come out, they would go into primary service. This has enabled us to do this.

Caitlin, his wife, is one the OB-GYNs recruited by Chesapeake Health Care through this program. Women who are pregnant drive up to an hour just to see her.

After seven years, both are almost debt-free. They don't intend to leave this small Maryland town any time soon. The Robinsons enjoy raising their children near the beach, parks and fresh air.

Stephen Robinson stated that despite the fact that they were done, they had no intention of going anywhere.