ACR Supports New Bill to Sustain Healthcare Workforce

ACR^® supports a new bipartisan bill, the H 1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act (H.R. 7961), introduced in response to a Trump administration policy that creates a $100,000 fee for certain H 1B visa applications. If passed, the bill would exempt healthcare workers from the administration’s new fee and prevent any additional fees from being added beyond those already required by law.

U.S. Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) introduced H.R. 7961. ACR joined other medical organizations in signing a letter to the bill’s cosponsors to show support.

Employers, including hospitals, use the H 1B program to bring international physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers to the U.S. Many of these professionals care for patients in rural and underserved communities that already face physician shortages.

ACR previously urged policymakers to exempt physicians from this policy. The legislation is important to hospitals’ ability to recruit physicians. ACR is also listed as a supporting organization on the lead cosponsor’s website.

For more information, contact Ashley Walton, ACR Government Affairs Director.