Kaine and Collins Introduce Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced the Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act to reauthorize funding for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards (GACA). Both programs were last authorized in 2020 as part of the CARES Act and are set to expire at the end of this month.

"Older Americans deserve to age with dignity and respect, and a crucial part of that is making sure that their health care providers are trained to understand the unique needs of aging Americans," said Kaine. "Our bipartisan legislation will reauthorize programs to train the next generation of providers caring for older adults and help improve access to high-quality care."

"This bipartisan bill would continue to train the current workforce and family caregivers, while developing emerging leaders in geriatric education across a variety of disciplines. By doing both, we will help ensure that aging Americans are cared for by a workforce specifically trained to meet their unique and complex health needs for decades to come. This will mean better care for older Americans, while saving valuable resources and reducing unnecessary costs," said Collins.

"Geriatrics practitioners - physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, and others specializing in the care of older adults and improving their health, independence, and quality of life - are experts in chronic conditions and medical complexity, including clinical management of people living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia," said Nancy Lundebjerg, CEO of the American Geriatrics Society. "HHS estimates only 6,580 geriatric physicians are currently practicing in the U.S., well short of meeting the current and future care needs of all of us as we age. The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) and Geriatrics Academic Career Awards (GACA) Program are the only federal programs designed meet the care gap created by the shortage of geriatrics health professionals. Together, these two programs create the geriatrics clinician educator workforce that is needed (GACA Program) and then deploys geriatrics experts to communities to train health care practitioners and caregivers and forge the interprofessional teams necessary to prevent and efficiently manage complex and chronic conditions of older adults (GWEP). The American Geriatrics Society commends Senators Collins and Kaine's leadership in advancing quality care for older Americans. As our nation continues to face a severe shortage of both geriatrics healthcare providers and faculty with the expertise to train providers and caregivers, we must expand - not reduce - the number of educational and training opportunities in geriatrics and gerontology."

"Last year, the Virginia GWEP trained over 6,000 students, professionals, and caregivers statewide to close gaps in aging care. Through strong statewide partnerships, we are building an educated, interprofessional workforce and equipping providers - especially in rural areas - to deliver better care for our rapidly aging population," said Bert Waters, Director of the Virginia GWEP.

"Through our GWEP, we've expanded access to high-quality dementia care across Kentucky - training thousands of healthcare professionals, supporting family caregivers, and transforming care experiences for older adults. This work reflects the national impact of GWEPs across the country that are working to strengthen the geriatric workforce and improve care for America's aging population. In Kentucky alone, every $1 invested in GWEP yields up to $102 in healthcare savings - reducing hospital readmissions, avoiding premature nursing home placement, and supporting older adults to live with dignity in their communities. Reauthorizing GWEP is essential to sustaining these proven outcomes and meeting the needs of our rapidly aging nation, and we congratulate Senators Collins and Kaine for their dedication to this work," said Sam Cotton, President of the National Association for Geriatric Education.

The Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act would reauthorize the GWEP and GACA programs at a combined $48.2 million per year over the next five years. GWEP is the only federally-funded program that exists to educate and train health professionals in the field of geriatrics, with 42 recipients across the country. GACA supports early-career training of junior faculty to develop emerging leaders in geriatric education and clinical care. There are currently 25 GACA recipients funded under four-year awards through June 2027.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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