Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2235-2236)
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 20, 1993
Primary Health Care Support Act of 1993 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop resource-based expenses for the determination of average practice expense relative value units for use in determining payment for each physician service under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA). Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) eliminate the reduction in practice expense relative value units for certain part B services as mandated under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993; (2) base Medicare reimbursement for graduate medical education (GME) costs on a weighted national mean amount; and (3) provide greater GME reimbursement for primary care residencies. Establishes the National Physician Work Force Commission to: (1) study all matters relating to physician work force goals and issues in order to develop recommendations for an annual report to the Congress; (2) evaluate the undergraduate medical education programs operated by medical schools and graduate medical education programs located in the United States for a report to the Congress and the Secretary; (3) study non-Medicare funding of GME for a report to the Congress and the Secretary; and (4) submit to the Congress an implementing bill for allocating first-year residency positions to the various specialties and subspecialties and for allocating the positions within each specialty to individual GME programs. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Health Professions Education Extension Amendments of 1992 to abolish the Council on Graduate Medical Education. Directs the Secretary to conduct research and report to the Congress on the effect of research grants and contracts on primary care medical training. Amends SSA title XVIII to: (1) double Medicare bonus payments for physicians who furnish qualified physician services in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs); (2) allow physicians to continue receiving their bonus payments for ten years after an area loses its HPSA designation; and (3) decrease on a graduated basis the indirect teaching adjustment factor used in determining additional payments for certain hospitals with indirect costs of medical education.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 26, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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