Legislation Introduced by Congresswoman DeLauro

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Summary

Geriatricians' Loan Forgiveness Act

As our nation's 76 million baby boomers near retirement age, the number of Americans over age 65 will double to 70 million – one-fifth of the population. Americans older than 85 represent the fastest growing segment of this population and membership in this once exclusive demographic group is projected to grow from four million Americans today to an estimated 19 million by 2050. The complex problems associated with aging require a supply of physicians with special training in the needs of seniors.

Unfortunately, our health care system is ill prepared to handle the strain of this enormous senior population, largely because we have a critical shortage of geriatric physicians. Fewer than 9,000 geriatricians practice in the United States, less than half of the current need. By 2030, the shortfall of geriatricians may reach 25,000 doctors. Approximately, 2,500 psychiatrists have received added qualifications in geriatric psychiatry; yet 4,000 to 5,000 geriatric psychiatrists are needed to provide patient care.

According to estimates from the President's Commission on Mental Health, at the current rate of approximately 80 new geriatric psychiatrists graduating each year and an estimated 3 percent attrition, there will be approximately 2,640 geriatric psychiatrists by the year 2030, or one per 5,682 older adults with a psychiatric disorder.

The demand for geriatric psychiatrists is growing rapidly. Estimates show that the number of seniors with psychiatric disorders will increase from 4 million in 1970 to 15 million in 2030. Unfortunately, many primary care physicians fail to detect mental disorders in older patients because they do not have the appropriate training. It is critical that action be taken now to alleviate the serious shortage of physicians and psychiatrists trained to meet the special needs of older people.

To provide incentives for physicians to enter the field of geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced the Geriatricians’ Loan Forgiveness Act. This legislation would amend the Public Health Service Act to include each year of fellowship training in geriatric medicine or geriatric psychiatry as a year of obligated service under the existing National Health Corps Loan Repayment Program. It would forgive $35,000 of education debt incurred by medical students for each year of advanced training required to obtain a certificate of added qualifications in geriatric medicine or psychiatry.

Current specialities eligible for the National Health Corps Loan Repayment Program include primary care nurse practitioners and physician assistants, nurse-midwives, dentists, dental hygienists, and mental health professionals.

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