SB 86 — Creating Unmatched Medical Graduate Advisory Council

CS for SB 86 WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION IntroducedCommittee Substitute for Senate Bill 86 By Senator Rucker [Introduced[Reported FebruaryMarch 12,5, 2025;2025, from the Committee on Health and Human Resources] CS for SB 86 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-1B-14, relating to creating the Unmatched Medical Graduate Advisory Council;

referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources;

and then to the Committee on Finance] Intr SB 86 2025R1688 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-1B-14, relating to creating the Unmatched Medical Graduate Advisory Council;

setting forth subjects to be addressed by advisory council in reporting;

providingsetting thatforth administrativesubjects supportto be providedaddressed by theadvisory Highercouncil Educationin Policyreporting; Commission;

and requiring reporting of findings and recommendations by December 31, 2025.2025;

and providing that administrative support be provided by the Higher Education Policy Commission.

(a)(a)(1) TheLegislative Legislaturefindings. recognizes that the State of West Virginia has traditionally faced shortages of medical professionals, especially in its most rural areas.

— The Legislature alsohereby recognizesfinds that the entireState countryof isWest facingVirginia ahas shortagetraditionally offaced physiciansshortages thatof ismedical expectedprofessionals, toespecially grow in theits nextmost 10rural years,areas. which could further inhibit West Virginians access to medical care.

Despite(2) The Legislature also finds that the entire country is facing a shortage of physicians throughoutthat theis country,expected theto numbergrow ofin medicalthe schoolnext graduate10 applicantsyears, forwhich residencycould programsfurther hasinhibit steadilyWest grownVirginians’ inaccess theto lastmedical 20care. years.

The(3) numberDespite ofa residencyshortage programsof inphysicians throughout the countrycountry, has not grown adequately to keep pace with the number of new graduates, and there is a significant number of medical school graduatesgraduate whoapplicants remainfor unmatched with a residency programprograms eachhas year,steadily whichgrown canin stymie their progress to fulfilling the requirementslast to20 practiceyears. medicine.

(b) The Legislaturenumber believesof thatresidency itprograms is in the bestcountry interestshas ofnot thegrown citizensadequately of the state to workkeep cooperativelypace towith attemptthe tonumber addressof thisnew issuegraduates, eitherand throughthere ensuringis morea residencysignificant programsnumber areof available to medical school graduates,graduates orwho otherremain means to assist unmatched medicalwith schoola graduatesresidency toprogram enableeach themyear, towhich contributecan tostymie thetheir healthprogress careof systemfulfilling inthe arequirements meaningfulto waypractice whilemedicine. working towards fulfilling their residency requirements.

(c)(4) ThereThe Legislature believes that it is createdin the Unmatchedbest Medicalinterests Graduateof Advisorythe Councilcitizens of the state to examinework thecooperatively Intrto SBattempt 86to 2025R1688address this issue ofeither medicalthrough schoolensuring graduatesmore whoresidency programs are notavailable placedto inmedical aschool residencygraduates, program,or andother means to provideassist recommendationsunmatched regardingmedical howschool graduates to assistenable thesethem individuals to continuecontribute theirto medicalthe traininghealth whilecare alsosystem fillingin a criticalmeaningful needway forwhile medicalworking professionalstowards withinfulfilling thetheir state.residency requirements.

The1 advisoryCS councilfor shallSB create86 a(b) reportPurpose. of its findings and recommendations that includes the following:

(1)— AllowingThere is hereby created the Unmatched Medical Graduate Advisory Council to examine the issue of medical school graduates who doare not matchplaced toin a residency programprogram, and to internprovide withrecommendations regarding how to assist these individuals to continue their medical training while also filling a licensedcritical physician;need for medical professionals within the state.

and(c)(1) (2)Composition. Exploring ways to counter the funding shortage from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for hospital residency programs, including raising the cap, requiring hospitals to pay more for resident's cost, and allowing doctors to contribute toward the cost of their residency training;

and— (3)The AnyUnmatched otherMedical recommendationsGraduate determinedAdvisory byCouncil theshall advisoryconsist councilof tothe befollowing viablevoting optionsmembers: to alleviating this nationwide issue.

(d)(A) The UnmatchedChancellor Medicalfor GraduateHigher AdvisoryEducation, Councilor consistshis ofor theher followingdesignee; voting members:

(1)(B) The ChancellorPresident forof Higherthe EducationWest Virginia Board of Medicine, or his or her designee;

(2)(C) The President of the West Virginia Board of MedicineOsteopathic Medicine, or his or her designee;

and(D) (3) The PresidentDean of the WestJoan VirginiaC. Board of Osteopathic Medicine, or his or her designee.

(e)Edwards TheSchool members of theMedicine councilat shallMarshall selectUniversity, theor chairpersonhis andor viceher chairperson.designee;

(E) The councilChancellor shallof holdHealth itsSciences firstat meetingthe notWest laterVirginia thanUniversity 30School daysof afterMedicine, theor effectivehis dateor ofher thisdesignee; section.

(F) The President of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, or his or her designee;

and (G) The Chairperson of the Governing Board of Directors for Mountain State Osteopathic Postdoctoral Training Institute, or his or her designee.

(2) The members of the advisory council shall select the chairperson and vice chairperson.

(3) The council shall hold its first meeting no later than 30 days after the effective date of this section.

Thereafter, the council shall meet at the call of the chairperson at least oncequarterly. per quarter.

(f)(4) A majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of meetings.

(g)(d)(1) TheReporting. Higher Education Policy Commission shall provide the advisory council with Intr SB 86 2025R1688 administrative support reasonably necessary for the advisory council to carry out its duties.

— The advisory council shall create a report of its findings and 2 CS for SB 86 recommendations that includes the following:

(A) Allowing medical school graduates who do not match to a residency program to intern with a licensed physician;

(B) Exploring ways to counter the funding shortage from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for hospital residency programs, including raising the cap, requiring hospitals to pay more for residents’ cost, and allowing doctors to contribute toward the cost of their residency training;

and (C) Any other recommendations determined by the advisory council to be viable options to alleviating this nationwide issue.

(2) The advisory council shall prepare a report of its findings and recommendations on or before December 31, 2025.

(e)(1) Administrative support.

— The Higher Education Policy Commission shall provide the advisory council with administrative support reasonably necessary for the advisory council to carry out its duties.

(h)(2) The Higher Education Policy Commission shall finance any costs of the advisory council with existing funds.

(i) The advisory council shall prepare a report of its findings and recommendations on or before December 31, 2025.

The purpose of this bill is to create the Unmatched Medical Graduate Advisory Council;Council to create a report with recommendations on alleviating the issues surrounding unmatched medical school graduates by December 31, 2025.