Florida Lawmakers Push for Federal Approval of Physician Training Funds Amid Doctor Shortage
Florida's congressional delegation, led by U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, is advocating for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to approve and renew Medicaid funding for physician residency programs. This initiative is in response to a projected shortage of doctors in the state. The Florida Hospital Association has collaborated with Bean to gather support for a letter urging CMS to work with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration on funding several graduate medical education programs. These programs are crucial as they provide supervised clinical training for physicians post-medical school, with Medicaid currently supporting over 7,000 medical residents in Florida. The association highlights that more than 60% of these residents remain in the communities where they train, thus playing a vital role in the state's healthcare workforce. However, Florida has been disadvantaged by an outdated Medicare funding formula that favors states with more established residency programs, despite its pop... 
