OME Advocate Newsletter

On April 24, 2024, Healthcare Brew spoke with David Bergman, JD, SVP of government relations and health affairs at AACOM, about the Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (Community TEAMS) Act (S. 3968/H.R. 7258). Introduced by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) and Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Annie Kuster (D-NH), the Community TEAMS Act will expand the “inadequate supply” of clinical rotations in rural and underserved areas and improve physician support in rural areas.

“My application was hand delivered by the head of another department, and I was told ‘we do not look at DO applications.’”

Sterling Haring, DO, MPH, an interventional pain, addiction and rehabilitation physician in rural South Georgia and current fellow of the National Academy of Medicine, shares his experience encountering bias as a DO candidate during his residency selection process, despite his extensive academic research background, and why he believes this inequity needs to be addressed. “It’s unfortunate that osteopathic medical students have to significantly outperform any of their colleagues, and even then, often don’t have access to training resources.”

We encourage you to spend one minute or less recording and uploading your video about what the FAIR Act means to you. Don’t forget to urge Congress to cosponsor and pass the FAIR Act!

Record

• The U.S. Department of Education (ED)'s Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Program Integrity and Institutional Quality recently reviewed state authorization and reciprocity agreements. AACOM nominee Erika Linden, CHC, (DMU-COM) served as the committee’s primary negotiator for private nonprofit higher education institutions.
• During the negotiations, ED’s final state authorization proposal raised concerns regarding the future of National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and state reciprocity agreements. Specifically, the “500 rule” would require institutions to obtain direct authorization from any participating state where the institution enrolls more than 500 students in each of the two most recently completed Title IV award years.
• However, the negotiators failed to reach consensus on state authorization and several other topics. As a result, ED will need to publish its own proposed rule which is expected this fall. Once a proposed rule is released, there will be an opportunity to provide public comment.
• For more information you can view AACOM’s update and the NC-SARA summary and March webinar. All materials from the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, including issue papers, proposed regulations and session recordings, can be found on this web page.

• On April 10, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled its fiscal year (FY) 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule. Comments are due June 10, 2024.
• For graduate medical education (GME), CMS is proposing a distribution methodology for the 200 residency slots created under Section 4122 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2023 that prioritizes hospitals in rural areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas and around new medical schools.
• The 2023 CAA also dedicates at least one-half of the total number of resident slots to psychiatry or psychiatry subspecialty residencies.
• CMS proposes modifications to the criteria for new residency programs and solicits feedback on specific questions related to these provisions.
• View AACOM’s in-depth analysis and fact sheet. If you submit comments to CMS, please share a copy with us at aacomgr@aacom.org.

• On Thursday, May 2, 2024, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a full committee hearing discussing what Congress can do to address the severe shortage of minority healthcare professionals and the maternal health crisis.
• The Committee heard from a panel of healthcare professionals, including Dr. Yolanda Lawson, president of the National Medical Association. The panelists advocated for a number of osteopathic policy priorities, including expanding residency programs, alleviating the financial burden of seeking a medical degree and supporting programs that attract physicians to underserved areas, like the National Health Service Corps.
• For further information, view AACOM’s summary on the hearing.

• On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule redefining worker overtime pay eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Effective July 1, 2024, the salary threshold to be exempt from overtime pay increases to an annual salary of $43,888 and on January 1, 2025, that threshold increases to $58,656.
• AACOM’s coalition partner, American Council on Education, prepared a summary on the impact to institutions of higher education.