H.R. 4731 — Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025

This section amends the Medicare graduate medical education (GME) provisions (i.e., limits on direct GME payments to teaching hospitals for resident salaries and indirect medical education (IME) payments to account for higher patient care costs in teaching hospitals) to (1) update cross-references in paragraphs (4)(F)(i) and (4)(H)(i) to include new paragraph (11); (2) insert a cross-reference to paragraph (10) in paragraph (7)(E); and (3) add new paragraph (11) to distribute 2,000 additional residency positions annually for FY2026 through 2032 (and succeeding years until a total of 14,000 positions are distributed if fewer are allocated by FY2032). Under new paragraph (11), one-third of the annual positions (i.e., approximately 667) are reserved for qualifying hospitals whose reference resident level exceeds their otherwise applicable resident limit by at least 10 positions and that train at least 25% of residents in primary care or general surgery (with continued compliance required for five years or risk of reduction); the remainder are distributed to other qualifying hospitals via seven application rounds (one per fiscal year), with applications due timely, notifications by January 1, and increases effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after July 1. (Thus, these positions permanently increase hospitals' otherwise applicable resident limits, expanding Medicare GME and IME payments accordingly, subject to carryover of undistributed slots.)

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on strategies for increasing the diversity of the health professional workforce, including an analysis of the most effective strategies for increasing the number of health professionals from rural, lower-income, and underrepresented minority communities. The Comptroller General must submit a report on the study, together with recommendations for legislation and administrative action, to Congress not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act.