BY REP. TODD CARVER

This week I want to share some information with you about HB 67, The Healthcare Workforce Reform.

You probably haven’t heard of it because it was approved by both the N.C. House of Representatives and the N.C. Senate by a unanimous vote. The bill became law when Gov. Josh Stein signed it on July 1.

The bill had four primary sponsors, but two of the sponsors are physicians. At least for me, their voices carry a great deal of weight.

The bill was designed to increase the number of medical providers available to serve the citizens of North Carolina. In some parts of the state, there is a serious need for more providers, and the legislation was part of a movement toward solving this problem. We are fortunate to live in a part of the state where there is no shortage of doctors, but not everyone has the same access to care as we do in Iredell County.

HB 67 created a pathway for recognizing the credentials of out-of-state Physician Assistants (PAs) and psychologists. Even in areas that have a wide range of choices, I believe the more providers we have the better off we are. People resist going to a doctor for a wide range of reasons; finding one you are comfortable with shouldn’t be the one that keeps you from getting treatment. The establishment of a PA Licensure Compact Commission is good for the people of North Carolina. Bringing more psychologists into the state to help our citizens is also a good thing.

The part of the law which has become continuous is that it allows doctors trained outside of the United States to participate in a program to have their credentials recognized in North Carolina. The law first requires the doctor trained outside the U.S. to be hired by a medical office or hospital. After that there is an 11-step process which, if properly navigated, results in licensure from the North Carolina Medical Board. HB 67 simply removes the residency requirement for foreign trained doctors. There are a limited number of spots for residency positions. Requiring foreign trained doctors to obtain a residency position would take away opportunities from U.S. students. The process for a foreign trained doctor to be licenses is very intense: after five years of successfully working under an attending physician, permanent licensure can be granted.

This process is very lengthy. Not being a physician myself, I may be missing some of the important details. I promise you I will not mislead anyone on purpose. This is a very important topic, and there is a great deal of misinformation out there.

I encourage anyone who has more detailed questions to watch Dr. Grant Campbell’s explanation on X at   https://x.com/CampbellforNC/status/1957120955953594785

I want to take just a moment to vouch for the integrity of Dr. Campbell. He and I are freshmen members of this year’s legislative class. I have found him to be a person of great integrity. He is a combat U.S. Army veteran. In a day when fewer people are willing to serve, I can only imagine the percentage is even lower for doctors. He is someone I would want to treat my family members. He puts others before himself. If this law was bad for North Carolina, he would never have brought it before the N.C. General Assembly.

I appreciate the opportunity to serve the people of the 95th NC House district. If I can ever help you or your family, please do not hesitate to reach out. todd.carver@ncleg.gov.