SALAZAR, LAWLER, BISHOP, AND CLARKE INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROTECT PATIENT ACCESS AND STRENGTHEN HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE

Washington, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), alongside Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Sanford Bishop (GA-02), introduced the H1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to help address critical healthcare workforce shortages nationwide.

The bill exempts healthcare professionals from the proposed $100,000 H-1B petition fee and prevents additional costs beyond those already established under federal law, ensuring hospitals can continue recruiting the talent patients depend on.

Across the country, hospitals, especially in underserved and rural communities are struggling to fill critical positions. By removing unnecessary financial barriers, this legislation strengthens the healthcare workforce and protects timely, high-quality care for patients.

“Healthcare access starts with having enough doctors and medical professionals to serve our communities," said Congresswoman Salazar. “As our nation faces a growing physician shortage, we must ensure that steep fees do not stand in the way of hospitals bringing in the medical talent American patients depend on. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce act, removing a financial barrier so providers can recruit the physicians they need and ensure families in Florida and across America receive the timely, high-quality healthcare they deserve.” 

“As detailed in President Trump’s proclamation putting this fee in place, it is certainly in the national interest to exempt healthcare workers," said Congressman Lawler. "Hospitals, community health centers, and other critical facilities are facing serious workforce shortages that threaten access to care. And they can't pay a $100,000 price tag on new immigrant workers. Without the clarification provided in this bill, the physicians and the wider healthcare workforce would effectively be shut out of the H-1B program, furthering workforce shortages and limiting care options. Communities in the Hudson Valley and across the country depend on healthcare workers, and this legislation makes sure they can continue delivering critical care."

"As they are in so many areas across our society and economy, immigrant Americans remain indispensable assets to keeping our hospitals and health systems running steadily, efficiently, and effectively," said Congresswoman Clarke. "The bipartisan willingness to ensure migrant health care workers are exempted from the $100,000 fee for H-1B petitions stands as a testament to the widely accepted value and necessity of these workers in one of this country’s most vital, yet vulnerable sectors. I am proud to co-lead this effort to prevent dangerous workforce shortages from impacting the health and well-being of Americans, as well as to ensure that those who are willing to contribute their expertise and talents to our nation can continue to do so at the times when we most need them." 

“The $100,000 H1-B filing fee adds insult to injury to hospitals, especially in rural areas,” said Congressman Bishop. “The fee will have a detrimental impact on their ability to recruit qualified health care professionals to some of the nation’s most underserved areas. The bipartisan legislation we are introducing today, however, will ensure that all physicians and health professionals are exempted from this fee so that they can continue to serve without fear or financial hardship."  

The U.S. healthcare system relies on the H-1B visa program to recruit physicians and medical professionals, particularly in underserved areas. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, nearly 87 million Americans live in regions facing a shortage of healthcare providers.

The H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act exempts healthcare workers, defined under the Affordable Care Act, from the $100,000 fee outlined in the September 2025 Presidential Proclamation and blocks additional fees beyond those already established in law.

The legislation is backed by leading healthcare organizations across the country, including the American Association of Medical Colleges, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment, Greater New York Hospital Association, Healthcare Association of New York State, and Physicians for American Healthcare Access, all of which emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the healthcare workforce and protect patient access to care. 

“Patients across the country are feeling the effects of the growing physician shortage," said Bobby Mukkamala, MD, President, American Medical Association. "Medicare patients and people in rural and underserved areas already struggle to get the care they need. In many such communities, international medical graduates play an important role in providing care and ensuring patients can see a doctor when they need one. The AMA supports this legislation to ensure the new $100,000 fee does not make it harder to recruit highly skilled physicians. We thank Reps. Lawler (R-NY), Bishop (D-GA), Salazar (R-FL), and Clarke (D-NY), for introducing this bipartisan bill. The AMA urges Congress to act quickly to protect patients’ access to care." 

"International medical graduates are essential to health care delivery in communities that would otherwise struggle to access a doctor," said Dr. Ram Alur, President, Physicians for Americans Healthcare Access. "The $100,000 H-1B fee could undermine the physician pipeline to the places that need it most, including rural communities, underserved areas, and safety-net hospitals. Physicians for American Healthcare Access (PAHA) applauds Reps. Lawler (R-NY), Bishop (D-GA), Salazar (R-FL), and Clarke (D-NY) for this bipartisan legislation, and we urge Congress to pass the H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act to safeguard patients' access to care."

"The $100,000 H-1B filing fee on health care entities poses a serious challenge to provider recruitment at a time when demand for physicians and other health care professionals continues to grow," said Carey Goryl, CEO, Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment. "Hospitals, health systems, and practices across the country rely on international physicians and health care professionals to meet patient needs. This fee could slow recruitment efforts and make it harder for employers to bring on the providers their communities depend on," said Carey Goryl, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR). AAPPR supports the H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act and applauds Reps. Lawler (R-NY), Bishop (D-GA), Salazar (R-FL), and Clarke (D-NY) for their bipartisan leadership on this issue." 

“The AHA commends Representatives Lawler, Bishop, Salazar, and Clarke for introducing bipartisan legislation that would help maintain patient access to care in communities nationwide," said Stacey Hughes, Executive Vice President of the American Hospital Association. "Specifically, this important bill will maintain critical staffing for areas of the country where there are well-documented shortages of health care workers." 

“New York’s hospitals have long relied on the H-1B visa program to help address healthcare workforce shortages in underserved communities new $100,000 fee for each H-1B visa applicant is jeopardizing hospitals’ ability to fill open roles and maintain their patients’ access to care, while increasing the cost of providing care," said Bea Grause, RN, JD, President, Healthcare Association of New York State. "By exempting healthcare workers from this burdensome fee, the H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act will help our providers do what they do best – serve their patients. I commend Reps. Mike Lawler and Yvette Clarke for continuing to lead on this critical issue."

“The H-1B visa program helps ensure that New York hospitals can deliver world-class health care, train the next generation of physicians, and conduct cutting-edge research," said Kenneth E. Raske, President, Greater New York Hospital Association. "The $100,000 filing fee for H-1B visa petitions poses a grave threat to this critical mission. It will further strain hospitals financially, exacerbate ongoing workforce shortages, and diminish access to care. The H-1B Visas for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act will eliminate this onerous fee and ensure that hospitals can continue to care for their communities. I thank Representatives Lawler, Clarke, Salazar, and Bishop for their commitment to strengthening the health care workforce.” 

Full text of the bill can be found HERE.