Should Medicare offer graduate medical education money for nurse practitioner and physician assistant training?

That was the subject of a recent inquiry by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

In a new report inspired by concern over the current physician shortage and the belief that making greater use of nurse practitioners might help relieve that shortage, the GAO examined whether expanding Medicare’s graduate medical education (GME) program to include resources for the training of nurse practitioners and physician assistants was practical or possible.  As part of its research, the GAO reviewed current literature, interviewed officials of professional associations, and explored the financial and academic implications of a greater federal role in the training of nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

The possibility of GME funding for nurse practitioner and physician assistant training would be of great interest to the many private safety-net hospitals that have medical education programs.

Read about what the GAO learned in its new report Views on Expanding Medicare Graduate Medical Education Funding to Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants