Congresswoman Lee Introduces New Bipartisan Bill to Combat Southern Nevada Doctor Shortage
Calls on Gov. Joe Lombardo to Endorse Bill and Pressure Congressional Republicans to Fight Medicaid Cuts
LAS VEGAS – Today, at the University Medical Center, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) joined Dr. Lyndsey van der Laan and R.E.A.C.H. Community Health Worker Luis Aceves to announce the introduction of her bipartisan Physicians for Underserved Areas Act to combat southern Nevada’s doctor shortage by increasing Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency slots in the state. Lee also wrote a letter today to Governor Joe Lombardo asking him to endorse the bipartisan bill and exercise his power as governor to call on Congressional Republicans – including Speaker Mike Johnson – to join the fight against devastating Republican Medicaid cuts.
You can find Congresswoman Lee’s letter to Governor Joe Lombardo HERE.
Nevada graduates more medical students each year than there are GME slots in the state. This forces them to leave the state for their residency, where they are unlikely to return, and further exacerbates Nevada's physician shortage.
Nevada Doctor Shortage Statistics:
- All 17 of Nevada's counties are designated as health professional shortage areas.
- Nevada ranks close to last in the nation when it comes to our ratio of physicians to residents.
- Nevada has only 218 physicians per 100,000 people, ranking it 45th for active physicians per capita.
- Nevada ranked 48th for primary care physicians per capita and 49th for general surgeons.
- With 7,388 licensed physicians in Nevada, we need an additional 1,500 primary care doctors to reach the national average.
Bipartisan Physicians for Underserved Areas Act:
- Revises the federal Graduate Medical Education (GME) slot process to give residency programs in areas like southern Nevada with severe physician shortages a greater chance of gaining GME slots that become available when another resident-training hospital closes.
- Continues to prioritize keeping medical residency slots local and within the same state when hospitals close and would update the requirement for quickly filling GME slots.
- In the U.S., medical school graduates must complete a GME residency program to become a practicing doctor. The federal government is the primary source of funding that pays for GME residencies slots, to train doctors in the U.S.
- Endorsed by Nevada Primary Care Association, Roseman College of Medicine, and the UNLV Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine.
- Lee is leading the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act in the House with Troy Balderson (OH-12).
“Southern Nevada has a severe doctor shortage and Republican cuts to Medicaid will exacerbate existing health care challenges, as well as threaten the financial viability of our health care system,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “My bipartisan Physicians for Underserved Areas Act will help us bring more doctors to Nevada. I’ve asked Governor Lombardo to endorse my bill and to call on all my Republican colleagues in Congress, including Speaker Mike Johnson, to join us in fighting these devastating Medicaid cuts. I’m glad the governor has joined our fight, but we need to do more to protect health care in Nevada.”
“About 80% of the patients I see every day are using Medicaid services and use Medicaid as their sole insurance provider. I see families at some of the worst moments of their life, they come into the ER scared, middle of the night, and they are truly worried that there is something wrong with their child. The thought that budget cuts could limit their access to care at my hospital, other hospitals, or other subspecialties is truly heartbreaking.” said Dr. Lyndsey van der Laan, Assistant Medical Director at St. Rose Siena Pediatric Emergency Room. “We don’t have enough doctors—in fact, I have to transport some patients out of state just to get care and continued medical treatment.”
“This is an urgency—we are overwhelmed with the healthcare system, and we need more doctors here in Nevada,” said Community Health Worker with Research, Education and Access for Community Health (R.E.A.C.H.) Luis Aceves. “We are concerned about all the families who are going to be facing more challenges. This is going to be overwhelming for all of the nonprofits too. We really need this bill passed.”
Congressional Republicans plan to cut Medicaid in their budget which would worsen Nevada’s healthcare challenges. 811,962 Nevadans are enrolled in Medicaid for healthcare, which includes nearly 40% of children in Nevada, more than half of nursing home residents, and one third of people with disabilities. Cuts to Medicaid would not only affect Nevadans, but the financial viability of the state’s health care system, including directly impacting reimbursements for providers and incurring significant costs for providers who are left supporting a larger uninsured population.
Congresswoman Lee was joined by Community Health Worker with Research, Education and Access for Community Health (R.E.A.C.H.) Luis Aceves and Dr. Lyndsey van der Laan, Assistant Medical Director at St. Rose Siena Pediatric Emergency Room.
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