Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02), Brad Schneider (IL-10), David Valadao (CA-22), Mike Carey (OH-15), and Mike Kelly (PA-16) introduced the bipartisan Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act. This legislation aims to train more doctors equipped to combat the addiction and overdose epidemic by creating 1,000 additional Medicare residency positions over five years in hospitals with addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry, or pain management programs.

The United States faces an ever-worsening physician shortage which the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts could reach 124,000 physicians in the next ten years. The physician shortage is particularly acute in the field of addiction medicine and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Today’s legislation would expand Medicare graduate medical education (GME), addressing the shortfall of doctors trained to treat addiction.

“The addiction and overdose epidemic has touched every community across the country — tackling this crisis calls for a robust health care workforce trained in effective substance use disorder treatments,” said Kuster. “I’m proud to support this bipartisan legislation to invest in the next generation of health care providers and ensure they have the skills and training they need to serve their communities.”

“The devastating impact of the overdose crisis on communities across the country underscores the urgent need for doctors to treat addiction like the disease it is,” said Schneider. “As our nation already faces a thinly stretched medical workforce, it can be even more difficult for those struggling with a substance use disorder to receive quality care. Preventing overdose deaths is a top priority of mine, and I am confident this bipartisan legislation will educate more physicians with the latest training in addiction medicine and psychiatry to care for those in need.”

“The opioid epidemic continues to have a devastating impact on communities across the country, especially here in the Central Valley,” said Valadao. “Our healthcare professionals are on the frontlines of battling this epidemic, but shortages in our healthcare workforce are making this fight even more challenging. The Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act will help to increase the number of healthcare professionals trained in addiction and pain medicine so we can get folks the treatment they need to recover.”

“Ohio, like much of the country, continues to be wracked by the opioid epidemic. Our legislation will expand the network of medical professionals available to fight this deadly scourge,” said Carey. “I’m proud to work in a bipartisan fashion to help deliver more resources and manpower to the frontlines of the opioid epidemic.”

“The opioid crisis is a national crisis. It is devastating families and communities in Western Pennsylvania and all over our country,” said Kelly. “The Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act ensures Americans and their families battling this epidemic will be met with the proper health care workforce needed  to provide treatment and care. I’m proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce this critical piece of legislation.”

The Substance Use Disorder Workforce Act is endorsed by the Association of American Medical Colleges,  American Hospital Association, Illinois Hospital Association, and American Medical Association. 

The introduced legislation is available here. 

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