The United States is currently in the grips of a massive physician shortage estimated to be over 60,000. As the workforce ages, the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the physician shortage will increase to over 86,000 physicians by 2036.

Connecticut is not immune with almost 20% of residents already living in designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) with fewer than one primary care physician per 3,500 residents.

This critical shortage has dire consequences for the health of Connecticut residents. Wait times to see primary care physicians already average over 26 days and are projected to get longer. As fewer physicians struggle to manage the health of an ever-growing population, healthcare outcomes suffer. One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that the average life expectancy of people living in HPSAs was almost a full year shorter than those who do not. In short, physician shortages kill.

Connecticut ranks 46 out of 50 states in physician retention, as only 41.7% of physicians who complete their residency in Connecticut remain here to practice medicine. By contrast, the proportion of physicians who stay in the highest-ranking states, California and Texas, after training are 78% and 66%, respectively. This dire situation demands urgent action to attract physicians to our state rather than push them away, to prevent our physician shortage from getting worse.

An Act Limiting Out-of-Network Costs (H.B. 6871) is being proposed, purportedly to control healthcare costs. However, beyond worsening the physician shortage that is already drowning Connecticut’s healthcare system, we are concerned that this bill would also particularly devastate rural hospitals and small physician-run private practices.

At first glance, the bill’s goals appear innocuous, capping the maximum amount that healthcare providers could charge health insurers for out-of-network care at 240% of the Medicare rate. However, by tilting the balance in negotiations far in favor of insurers over physicians and hospitals, this bill would do serious damage to the ability of healthcare providers to negotiate fair rates with insurers. These adverse consequences have led to a coalition of physicians and hospitals from around the state to warn of dire consequences for access to care in Connecticut should the bill pass.

Medicare reimbursement for hospitals and physicians is 50% and 70% the rate of private insurers, respectively. Even worse, Medicare payments to physicians have fallen 33% in inflation-adjusted terms since 2001. Tying out-of-network reimbursement to Medicare rates would place providers at a significant disadvantage as these rates continue to decline.

Physicians and other clinicians will become scarcer as practicing in Connecticut becomes infeasible. Hospitals will close. Essential physician practices, beloved by the communities they serve, will be forced to shut their doors for good.  As struggling healthcare facilities and practices are forced to close, the health of Connecticut residents will ultimately suffer. Rather than the approach being offered by this bill, which will limit services while not addressing the root causes of cost, we advocate for focus on policies to improve physician retention in and recruitment to Connecticut.

Tax and regulatory incentives can entice physicians to move or keep their practices here. Providing student loan relief to young physicians who are being crushed by sky-high student loan debt in the face of high cost of living can make it practical for them to start their lives and careers here. These reforms can expand the supply of physicians available to Connecticut residents, reducing wait times and meaningfully improving public health.

We urge the General Assembly to reject H.B. 6871 and get to work on practical solutions to heal our ailing healthcare system. The health of Connecticut’s people depends on it.

Ryan Englander is a MD/PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut. Anthony Yoder, DO, is Chair, Health and Public Policy, CT Chapter, American College of Physicians.