Applications are due March 31 for hospitals to apply for new graduate medical education (GME) residency slots provided under Section 126 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA). Hospitals will be required to complete their applications and submit them through the Medicare Electronic Application Request Information System.
The CAA included 1,000 new GME residency slots, with no more than 200 new slots established annually beginning in fiscal year 2023. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will prioritize applications for the new slots from eligible hospitals that serve geographic areas and underserved populations with the highest need, as required under the CAA. Section 126 outlines the following categories for distribution:
- Rural Hospitals.
- Resident Cap Relief – this category covers hospitals with very low resident full-time equivalent caps and per resident amounts. The application deadline for this category is July 1, 2022.
- States With New Medical Schools, including Michigan.
- Hospitals Serving or located in Health Professional Shortage Areas.
The MHA recently submitted comments to the CMS regarding the agency’s interim final rule on distribution of the new slots. The association urged the CMS to use a clear and simple method and to distribute the needed slots quickly, given the approaching application deadline. Members with questions should contact Vickie Kunz at the MHA.