ASA Joins Advocacy Effort Urging Congress to Pass H 1B Visa Reform

Today, as part of its national advocacy efforts to address workforce challenges, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) joined with other healthcare organizations in urging Congress to advance the bipartisan H‑1Bs for the Physicians and Healthcare Workforce Act. This legislation would exempt physicians and other essential healthcare professionals from a new $100,000 H‑1B visa fee. The fee is threatening to disrupt physician recruitment—particularly in rural, underserved, and safety‑net settings—by creating a significant financial barrier to hiring international medical graduates. Advancing this legislation aligns with ASA’s commitment to workforce stability and would remove an unnecessary obstacle to physician recruitment and retention.