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Bill

S 5232

Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Susan Collins and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a federal Rural Residency Planning and Development Program to fund and assist new rural residency pathways aimed at boosting rural physician supply.

Introduced in Senate
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Bill Summary · S 5232

Summary of Bill: Rural Residency Planning and Development Act of 2026 (S. 5232, 119th Congress)

Purpose and goal

  • Introduces a program under the Public Health Service Act to authorize funding and technical assistance to establish and expand rural residency training programs.
  • Aims to increase the number of physicians trained in and committed to practicing in rural areas, addressing clinician shortages in rural communities.

Key provisions and changes

  • New program creation (Section 330A-3):
    • Establishes the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program.
    • Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to eligible entities to:
    • Establish new rural residency programs, including adding new rural training sites to existing rural track programs.
    • Grants may be fully funded at the time of award.
    • Grant term: 3 years, with potential extension at the Secretary’s discretion.
    • Eligibility and application requirements:
    • Eligible entities submit an application detailing the pathway of the rural residency program.
    • Pathways include:
      • General primary care and high-need specialty care (e.g., family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery).
      • Maternal health and obstetrics (e.g., obstetrics and gynecology or family medicine with enhanced obstetrical training).
      • Other pathways as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
  • Rural Residency Planning and Development Technical Assistance Program (Section 330A-3, subsection on TA):
    • Authorizes grants to provide technical assistance to awardees and potential applicants.
    • Grants may be fully funded at the time of award.
    • Term: 4 years, with potential extension at the Secretary’s discretion.
  • Definitions (Section 330A-3):
    • Eligible Entity: Includes domestic public or private entities (profit or nonprofit), Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations; may include faith-based or community-based organizations, rural hospitals, rural health clinics, health centers, graduate medical education consortia, and other organizations as determined by the Secretary.
    • Rural Residency Program: A physician residency program (including rural track) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or similar body, that:
    • Trains residents in rural areas for more than 50% of total residency time.
    • Primarily aims to produce physicians who will practice in rural areas.
  • Funding and appropriations (Section 330A-3, subsection on appropriations):
    • Authorized appropriation: $12,700,000 for each fiscal year 2027 through 2031.
    • Funds remain available until expended (no automatic lapse after a single year).

Who would be affected

  • Rural communities seeking to establish or expand residency training programs.
  • Eligible entities (as defined above) capable of developing rural residency pathways.
  • Medical trainees and residents in general primary care, high-need specialties, and maternal health fields who may participate in rural-focused pathways.
  • Rural healthcare delivery systems (hospitals, clinics) that could host new residency sites and benefit from trained workforce pipelines.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: Filed August 4, 2026; referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • No specific enactment date provided beyond authorized fiscal years; funding would be available for FY 2027–FY 2031 if enacted.
  • Administrative discretion resides with the Secretary to determine pathway types, extend program terms, and approve eligible entities.

Additional notes

  • Co-sponsors: Senator Susan Collins (additional support) and Senator Tina Smith (original sponsor).
  • The bill focuses on program creation, funding mechanisms, and defined pathways to strengthen rural physician staffing over a multi-year horizon.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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