Cramer, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Modernize Physician Workforce Program, Strengthen Access to Care Across the Nation

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BISMARCK, N.D. - States struggling to recruit physicians for rural communities could soon get new tools under bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) aimed at modernizing the Conrad 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program. International medical graduates typically utilize a J-1 visa to complete their medical residency and training in the United States. But due to a visa requirement, individuals are required to return to their home country for two years before applying for employment as a physician.

The Conrad 30 Waiver Program was created to address this visa barrier, meet critical healthcare workforce needs, and expand patient access to care across the country. The program allows states to waive the two-year home residency requirement and immediately employ these qualified physicians if they commit to at least three years of full-time service in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Each state receives up to 30 waivers annually, including up to 10 "flex" slots, which can be used outside designated shortage areas if physicians serve underserved populations.

However, while some states consistently use their full allocation of waivers, others leave slots on the table due to administrative limits or program constraints, resulting in uneven utilization of the Conrad 30 program. This imbalance has created an environment where physicians in states with high Conrad 30 program usage have limited pathways to connect with employers in other, often rural, states where waivers remain available. These barriers largely stem from fragmented information sharing and the absence of a centralized process to match physicians with open waiver opportunities across state lines.

Cramer and Klobuchar introduced the Physician Workforce Optimization Act to change this. The bill would expand flexibility for states by increasing flex waivers from 10 to 15 per state while keeping the overall annual cap at 30. It would also create a national secondary matching portal designed to better connect physicians and states with unused waiver slots, with the goal of streamlining the placement of physicians in medically underserved areas across the country.

"States everywhere in the nation are struggling to recruit physicians for our rural communities, and our bill gives them some better tools to respond," said Cramer. "It modernizes the Conrad 30 program by increasing flexibility for the state and establishes a new matching system that will better connect qualified doctors with the areas that really need them most."

"Rural and other medically underserved areas do not have adequate access to health care or doctors. Over the last 15 years, the Conrad 30 program has brought more than 23,000 physicians to underserved areas, filling a critical need," said Klobuchar. "Our bipartisan legislation will enable more physicians trained in the U.S. to practice in underserved communities, and help states improve health care access for families while retaining critical medical talent."

The Physician Workforce Optimization Act is supported by several organizations, including the American Hospital Association, the North Dakota Hospital Association, and the North Dakota Medical Association.

"The Conrad 30 visa program plays a critical role in providing access to care by bringing highly skilled physicians to North Dakota," said Tim Blasl, President, North Dakota Hospital Association. "The hospital association supports the Conrad 30 Physician Workforce Optimization Act because it helps strengthen a proven program that improves physician workforce shortages. Thank you Senator Cramer for the continued support of North Dakota's hospitals."

"The J-1 visa program is critical to strengthening North Dakota's healthcare workforce and ensuring patients can access quality care," said Dr. Parag Kumar, President, North Dakota Medical Association. "The Conrad 30 Physician Workforce Optimization Act provides crucial support for the J-1 visa and Conrad 30 programs, which are essential to addressing the persistent physician shortages that affect access to healthcare for communities across North Dakota and the nation."

Click here for bill text. Click here for one-pager.