Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6468
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-04: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-24T08:07:51Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2025 aims to address shortages of healthcare providers in rural areas by authorizing federal grants to support the creation and expansion of medical residency training programs focused on rural practice. It seeks to train more physicians in primary care, high-need specialties, and maternal health to improve access to care in underserved rural communities.
Key Provisions
- Rural Residency Planning and Development Program:
- Provides grants to eligible entities (such as public or private organizations, Indian Tribes, rural hospitals, medical schools, or community health centers) to establish new rural residency programs or add rural training sites to existing programs.
- Focuses on training pathways in general primary care and high-need specialties (e.g., family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery), maternal health and obstetrics, or other areas deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- Grants are fully funded upfront, last 3 years, and can be extended at HHS discretion.
- Applications must include a detailed description of the program's rural training pathway.
- Rural Residency Planning and Development Technical Assistance Program:
- Awards grants to eligible entities to offer technical support (e.g., guidance on program setup, accreditation, and operations) to grant recipients and potential applicants from the main program.
- Grants are fully funded upfront, last 4 years, and can be extended at HHS discretion.
- Applications follow HHS requirements.
- Definitions:
- Eligible entity: Broadly includes domestic public or private nonprofit/for-profit organizations, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, faith-based or community-based groups, rural hospitals, health clinics, medical education consortia (including schools of medicine and historically Black colleges or universities), and others approved by HHS.
- Rural residency program: An accredited physician training program (by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or equivalent) where more than 50% of training occurs in rural areas (as defined by HHS) and emphasizes producing doctors who will practice in rural settings.
- Funding: Authorizes $12.7 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with funds remaining available until spent.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Title III of the Public Health Service Act (which covers public health programs) by inserting a new section (330A-3) after the existing section on rural health care services outreach. It introduces entirely new grant programs dedicated to rural medical residencies, building on but distinct from prior initiatives like those for primary care training or rural health clinics. No existing programs are repealed or altered; this expands federal support for graduate medical education in rural contexts.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS will administer the programs, requiring new grant processes, oversight, and technical assistance coordination, potentially increasing administrative workload but also leveraging existing rural health expertise.
- Citizens: Rural residents, especially in underserved areas, may gain better access to primary care, mental health, surgical, and maternal services as more physicians are trained and retained locally. This could reduce travel burdens and health disparities.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. healthcare training.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Medical Education Institutions and Providers: Schools of medicine, residency programs, rural hospitals, and health clinics that can apply for grants to develop or expand training.
- Rural Communities and Patients: Benefit from increased local physician supply, particularly in primary care and obstetrics.
- Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations: Explicitly included as eligible entities, supporting culturally appropriate training in Tribal areas.
- Medical Trainees: Residents and students pursuing rural-focused paths, with opportunities for specialized training.
- HHS and Federal Government: Responsible for program implementation and funding allocation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill aligns with existing federal authority under the Public Health Service Act to fund health workforce development, with no apparent conflicts. It emphasizes accreditation standards, ensuring quality control without mandating specific outcomes.
- Constitutional: No significant issues; it involves standard congressional spending power for public health, respecting state roles in medical education while providing federal incentives.
- Political: Introduced with bipartisan support (from representatives across parties and regions), highlighting rural health as a nonpartisan priority. It could influence future healthcare policy by prioritizing rural equity, potentially setting a model for addressing workforce shortages in other underserved areas.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
Cosponsors (11)
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15], Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-04: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-12-04: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-04: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-04 — PDF (6 pages)