H.R.2314 - Fair Access In Residency Act; FAIR Act (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.2314, the Fair Access In Residency Act of 2025 (FAIR Act), aims to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act. It requires hospitals with approved medical residency programs to report data on osteopathic and allopathic applicants to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This includes the number of applicants and accepted candidates from each type of medical school.
Expected Effects
The bill intends to promote equitable treatment of osteopathic and allopathic candidates in residency programs. Hospitals failing to comply with the reporting requirements would face a 2% reduction in Medicare payments for discharges beginning October 1, 2026. The Secretary of HHS is mandated to publish the collected data on a public website.
Potential Benefits
- Increased transparency in the residency application process.
- Potential for more equitable consideration of osteopathic medical graduates.
- Public availability of data may encourage hospitals to diversify their residency programs.
- Could lead to a more diverse physician workforce, better reflecting the patient population.
- May improve the quality of care by fostering a broader range of medical perspectives.
Potential Disadvantages
- Increased administrative burden on hospitals to collect and report the required data.
- Potential for hospitals to simply comply with reporting without changing actual practices.
- Risk of unintended consequences if hospitals prioritize reporting over candidate quality.
- Possible resistance from some hospitals that prefer existing selection processes.
- The 2% Medicare reduction may financially strain hospitals, potentially affecting patient care.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the general welfare clause of the Constitution, as it aims to improve healthcare access and quality by promoting fairness in medical education. Congress has the power to legislate on matters related to healthcare funding and regulation under the Social Security Act. The bill does not appear to infringe on any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).