Where Things Stand: The Federal Landscape
On February 24, President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union Address. The speech focused primarily on economic growth, immigration enforcement, trade policy, and national security. Health care received limited attention; the President briefly referenced efforts to lower prescription drug prices, touted his Great Healthcare Plan, and criticized health insurers.
Congress returned to Washington the week of February 23, following the state work period over the President’s Day holiday, amid a volatile policy environment shaped by the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown, leadership changes across federal agencies, and a renewed focus on health care spending and workforce issues.
The House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health held a hearing titled “Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Health Care Workforce” on February 24, examining projected physician shortages and provider maldistribution.
- Members emphasized that where clinicians train influences where they practice, highlighting Graduate Medical Education (GME) as a key workforce lever. Lawmakers discussed the bipartisan Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, which would add 14,000 Medicare-supported residency slots, while questioning whether prior rural slots reached high-need areas and signaling interest in revisiting CMS allocation criteria and Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) prioritization.
- Witnesses noted that outdated payment formulas disadvantage rural hospitals and pointed to HRSA’s Rural Residency Planning and Development Program as a support tool. Legislators also debated pediatric shortages, Medicaid’s role in sustaining safety-net providers, and the role of international medical graduates.
On February 25, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee held a nomination hearing for Casey Means, MD, to serve as surgeon general. Dr. Means testified that America’s chronic disease epidemic demands a prevention-first, science-based agenda, including fixing food, chemical exposure, and perverse incentives.
How We’re Responding: Ongoing ACU Advocacy
With the guidance of our community, ACU has been tireless in our ongoing advocacy for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and broader healthcare workforce. Some of our recent initiatives include:
Calling on Congress to Strengthen and Support Our Healthcare Workforce: On February 20, ACU sent our 2026 Workforce Priorities Letter to Congress, calling specifically for:
- Increasing NHSC funding to $950 million annually
- Strengthening and reauthorizing the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) at $7.87 billion annually
- Protecting Medicaid and coverage programs
- Addressing workforce implications of federal student loan caps
- Reauthorizing and strengthening Title VII Health Professions and Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development programs
Working with Congressmembers to Increase Investment in the NHSC: In addition to sending our letter to Congress, ACU continues to work with the staff of Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to discuss NHSC reauthorization legislation and the importance of long-term, stable investment in the program to address health care workforce shortages.
Engaging with New Workforce-Related Federal Regulations: ACU is actively providing feedback on two federal rulemakings that will directly impact our healthcare workforce:
- Responding to the Department of Education’s Proposed Rule on Student Loans: On Tuesday, March 2, ACU submitted a comment letter raising concerns that eliminating Graduate PLUS loans—which help alleviate the burden of many health professionals in training—and imposing new annual and lifetime caps could significantly disrupt the health workforce pipeline, particularly for clinicians serving underserved communities.
- Responding to HRSA’s Request for Public Comment on Updated Maternity Care Target Area (MCTA) Criteria: ACU is submitting comments regarding proposed changes to how MCTAs are identified, including the removal of the Social Vulnerability Index and revisions to provider-to-population ratios and travel time metrics.
Upholding the Professionalism of Nursing: ACU joined nursing partners in signing a coalition letter urging the Department of Education to preserve recognition of nursing and other advanced clinical training programs under the “professional degree” designation. The letter warns that narrowing the definition could restrict access to appropriate federal loan levels and harm the health workforce pipeline serving underserved communities.
Partnering in the Alliance to Strengthen America’s Health Workforce for the Underserved: Having helped to found the Alliance to Strengthen America’s Health Workforce for the Underserved, ACU is now collaborating with partners at the Alliance to help develop strategy and advocacy related to upcoming reauthorizations, including Title VII and Title VIII workforce programs.
How You Can Help: Stay Tuned and Watch for Future Calls to Action
Your voice matters! In our ongoing advocacy for the healthcare workforce in 2026, ACU will continue to rely on the input of and uplift the perspectives of our community. If you haven’t yet, become an ACU Advocate to stay up to date on new developments and calls to action.
If you have any questions or need assistance with your own advocacy, please contact us.
