WASHINGTON – Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema today met with the CEO of Phoenix based-Banner Health, one of the largest health care systems in the country and Arizona’s largest private employer. Sinema discussed the importance of addressing Arizona’s doctor shortage and her work ensuring all Arizonans have access to quality health care.
“We must address our doctor shortage and support community health centers to bring down costs and increase access to care for Arizona families,” said Sinema.
Banner Health is working to end Arizona’s doctor shortage by supporting residency programs that bring doctors to Arizona to train and study. Additionally, to help combat Arizona’s doctor shortages, Sinema wrote to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to support a new policy that reimburses medical students for residencies at Critical Access Hospitals, including the 15 Critical Access Hospitals across Arizona.
Sinema is also championing the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which increases the number of medical training positions in areas with a physician shortage, like Northern Arizona. Sinema cosponsored the Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act, to increase the number of primary care doctors in rural and medically-underserved communities. Sinema joined the What You Can Do For Your Country Act, to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for doctors, nurses, first responders, and other service professionals. Sinema also cosponsored the Mental Health Improvement Act, which allows more mental health professionals to be covered under Medicare so seniors in rural Arizona have increased access to health services.