Our Doctors First Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8943
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-24T15:51:39Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8943: Our Doctors First Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation amends the Social Security Act to stop Medicare from paying for graduate medical education (GME) costs linked to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or nationals. It seeks to limit federal funding for medical training to U.S. citizens and nationals only.
Key Provisions
- Direct GME Payments (Section 1886(h)): Hospitals may not count non-citizen residents toward payment calculations starting one year after enactment. Rules are updated to enforce this limit.
- Indirect Medical Education (IME) Payments (Section 1886(d)): Non-citizens cannot be included in resident counts for these payments beginning on the first July 1 after the one-year mark.
- Nonhospital Provider Payments (Section 1886(k)): No Medicare payments are allowed for direct GME costs tied to non-citizen residents.
- Sanctions for Violations:
- First violation: Civil monetary penalty equal to 25% of the improper payment amount.
- Second violation: $1,000,000 penalty.
- Third violation: 5-year exclusion from Medicare GME payments.
- Subsequent violations: 10-year exclusion.
- Penalties follow procedures from existing sections on civil monetary penalties and program exclusions.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill introduces new restrictions on who qualifies as a resident for Medicare GME calculations, previously allowing broader inclusion. It adds escalating penalties and exclusions not previously applied to this specific issue, effective one year after enactment.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would need to update cost reporting rules, audit submissions, and enforce penalties through existing mechanisms.
- Citizens and Healthcare System: May shift training resources toward U.S. citizens, potentially affecting hospital staffing and medical education programs that rely on international participants.
- International Relations: Could limit opportunities for foreign medical graduates in U.S. programs funded by Medicare, though the bill does not address visas or immigration directly.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Teaching hospitals and nonhospital providers involved in GME.
- Medical residents who are not U.S. citizens or nationals.
- U.S. citizens pursuing medical residencies.
- Medicare beneficiaries and the broader healthcare workforce.
- Federal agencies responsible for Medicare payments and enforcement.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Applies civil penalty and exclusion rules from sections 1128 and 1128A, extending fraud-related tools to GME compliance. Violations require proof that providers "know or should know" about non-citizen status.
- Constitutional: Focuses on citizenship requirements for federal funding eligibility, which may intersect with equal protection considerations under the law.
- Political: Establishes a clear policy preference for domestic workforce development in federally supported medical training.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-20: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Our Doctors First Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-20 — PDF (8 pages)