Ask the Experts

Will the Stimulus Package Boost Physician Supply?

Though it’s still early in his administration, it is obvious that President Obama is serious about extending access to healthcare to more Americans. The expansion of SCHIP and the billions of dollars in the stimulus package devoted to both Medicaid and COBRA make that clear.   

What remains unclear is if the new administration or others in government have come to terms yet with how physician supply affects healthcare delivery. Real access to healthcare will not be achieved unless a way can be found to increase the number of physicians, particularly primary care physicians, who actually deliver care.  

The good news is that the stimulus bill allots $500 million for physician and nurse education and job training. About $300 million of this will go to doubling the budget of the National Health Services Corps, which offers financial support to doctors in exchange for their agreement to practice in traditionally underserved rural and inner city areas. The bad news is that new serious effort is being made to increase the number of residents being trained in the , which is the only way to increase physician supply in absolute terms. 

It is to be hoped that this issue will receive more attention as the debate over healthcare reform takes shape. If you have any comments on this topic or on the stimulus bill in general please feel free to express them here by submitting a comment below.