Sponsors (10)
Requires a study to evaluate designation of general surgical Health Professional Shortage Areas under the Public Health Service Act.
The bill trades better, evidence-based identification and targeting of surgical workforce shortages (potentially improving rural access and planning) against added public and administrative costs, possible short-term diversion of resources, and the risk that a study alone may not produce policy action.
Rural and underserved communities: could gain better access to surgical care if the bill's data-driven workforce study leads to targeted recruitment, placement of surgeons, and formal shortage-area designations that unlock resources and incentives.
Hospitals and state health planners: would get improved, impartial data and dynamic projections to allocate resources and plan training, leading to more efficient matching of surgical workforce supply to local needs.
Healthcare workers and trainees: workforce programs (training and retention) may be expanded or better targeted based on clearer evidence, improving career pipelines and future patient care availability.
Taxpayers: the improved data collection and workforce-planning effort will likely require new federal/state funding or budget reallocations, increasing public costs.
Hospitals and local health systems: administrative costs and added reporting requirements could divert limited resources and delay immediate workforce support while the study is conducted.
Hospitals and rural communities: documenting severe surgical shortages may create pressure to offer costly recruitment or retention incentives that strain local hospital budgets.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to the designation of general surgery shortage areas, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 22, 2026 by Ami Bera · Last progress January 22, 2026
Creates a requirement in the Public Health Service Act for a formal study on designating general surgical Health Professional Shortage Areas to address projected shortages of general surgeons, with particular attention to rural and underserved communities. The bill cites multiple studies projecting surgeon shortages and calls for improved, impartial data and workforce projections to guide policy and planning.