WASHINGTON, DC — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has introduced legislation that would increase investment in the training and education of health care professionals. The Health Professional and Primary Care Reinvestment Act would expand health care training by improving recruitment and retention efforts and by increasing incentives for health professionals working in community settings, particularly underserved areas.

“A stronger health workforce and a greater focus on prevention will help provide more Americans with access to necessary health care. We need to encourage more people from disadvantaged areas to join the health workforce while providing incentives for health professionals to bring primary care services to underserved communities. This bill will improve medical services in the areas that need them most and is a step in our ongoing effort to ensure that every single American has quality, affordable health care,” said Senator Clinton.

Senator Clinton’s legislation would encourage more health professionals to pursue primary care practice by providing incentives for primary care training and strengthening primary care departments at the community level. It would increase the number of disadvantaged and rural students in health care professions through loan and scholarship programs, and expand funding for prevention training and increasing linkages with local health departments. The legislation would also help to expand the availability of medical care in underserved areas, strengthen coordination of mental health care and physical health care, and expand geriatric care programs. Finally, it would assist with managing and planning for future health care workforce needs by establishing national and regional health workforce analysis centers.

Senator Clinton’s bill has been endorsed by multiple health organizations, including Advocating for Family Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Physician Assistants, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, American Geriatrics Society, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychological Association, Association of Departments of Family Medicine, Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, Association of Minority Health Professions Schools, Inc., Association of Schools of Public Health, Hospital Association of New York State, National AHEC Organization, National Council for Diversity in the Health Professions, North American Primary Care Research Group, Society of General Internal Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and the National Rural Health Association.

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