Bolster the Clinician Workforce Now and For the Future

As the U.S. population ages and cardiovascular clinicians are increasingly susceptible to burnout, we must diversify the health care workforce, find solutions for rising education costs, and improve patient access through telehealth and new staffing models. ACC Advocacy focal points in this priority include:

  • Maximizing the strengths of the entire cardiovascular care team.
  • Supporting clinician well-being and ensuring safety for both clinicians and patients.
  • Promoting a robust clinical workforce by addressing noncompete reforms and expanding graduate medical education (GME) slots.

ACC in Action

  • The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act (H.R. 2028/S. 942) was featured as a key talking point at ACC Legislative Conference 2025, which led to a surge in cosponsors in the House and Senate.
  • The ACC and its Chapters continue to engage lawmakers at the state level to push for noncompete reform while the courts decide on cases challenging the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) final rule.
  • The ACC joined as an original supporter of the Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Act (S. 717), which embraces the team-based approach to care by allowing advanced practice providers to order cardiovascular rehabilitation services.
  • The ACC urged Congress to reject changes to the student loan program proposed in the reconciliation package. Although the final law sets borrowing limits of $200,000 and eliminates the Grad PLUS programs, the ACC successfully advocated for the removal of a provision that excluded time spent in medical internships or residencies from counting toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Policy Progress

  • Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana and Texas successfully passed legislation eliminating noncompete agreements for clinicians.
  • The REDI Act (H.R. 2028/S. 942), Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 2191/S. 1390) and Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 (H.R. 3890/S. 2439) have all been reintroduced into Congress. These bills aim to bolster the health care workforce and improve access through reforms targeting student loan deferment, physician ownership of certain facilities, and expanding Medicare-supported medical residency positions.
  • In Virginia, bills addressing violence against health care workers and payments for claims were recently signed into law, and in Arkansas, Indiana, Montana and Wyoming, bills establishing protections for clinicians are now law.
  • The Save Healthcare Workers Act (H.R. 3178/S. 1600), bipartisan legislation which addresses the rising violence health care professionals face across the country, has been introduced in both the House and Senate.

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