Immigration and the physician shortage: A conversation with former HHS Secretary Tom Price, M.D.

As the U.S. health care system continues to grapple with a deepening workforce crisis, a growing number of policy experts are calling for reform — not just in reimbursement or regulation, but in immigration.

Medical Economics sat down with Thomas E. Price, M.D., former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a practicing orthopedic surgeon, to explore how legal, employment-based immigration could play a pivotal role in strengthening the country's medical workforce.

From physicians and nurses to physical therapists and home health aids, Price makes the case for a merit-based visa system that aligns immigration policy with national health care needs.

"The workforce shortage has been going on for decades," Price said. "It's not just physicians — it's across the board."

Throughout our conversation, Price discusses:

• Why thousands of internationally-trained clinicians remain stuck in visa backlogs despite being ready to work.
• How outdated limits on Medicare-funded residency slots contribute to the bottleneck.
• Why bipartisan bills like the "Doctors in Our Borders Act" are a step in the right direction — and deserve more attention.
• The role physicians, hospitals and medical societies can play in pushing for change.
• How workforce-forced immigration reform can coexist with border security priorities.

"[This is] one of those areas that does have bipartisan support that could be able to pass through both the House and the Senate, and [could], I believe, be signed by the president," Price said. "But it it's important that people talk about it."