August 28, 2014
Las Vegas, NV – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First District, a Member of the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans Affairs, hosted a roundtable discussion with medical professionals from across Nevada to discuss her recently passed legislation, the Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act. This bill was included in the final VA reform package that passed the House at the end of July and was signed into law by President Obama on August 7th. The Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act increases veterans’ access to timely care by adding more medical residency positions at VA hospitals in communities, including Nevada, which are facing a significant physician shortage.
“Nevada is in dire need of additional medical personnel. Nationally, our state ranks 46th for general and family practitioners, 50th for psychiatrists and 51st for specialty surgeons,” remarked Titus. “And this is not just a problem in Nevada; it is a problem in hospitals and doctors’ offices across the country.”
According to the American Medical Association, the United States will face a shortage of 62,900 physicians in 2015 and a shortage of 130,000 by 2025.
“That is why I am so pleased that the final VA reform package passed last month included my legislation, the Underserved Veterans Access to Health Care Act,” Titus said. “This law will allow for the creation of 1,500 additional medical residency positions at VA hospitals in communities that desperately need more doctors.”
This initial meeting helped establish an ongoing working group to develop a plan and coordinated approach to ensuring that some of these new residencies come to Nevada. Members include, representatives of the VA, UNLV, Touro, Roseman, the Nevada Hospital Association, the University of Nevada School of Medicine, and physician groups.