House lawmakers on March 17 introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at easing visa-related costs for foreign-trained healthcare professionals, seeking to exempt them from a steep $100,000 H-1B filing fee imposed under a presidential proclamation issued in September 2025.
Titled the “H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act,” the bill was introduced by Congressman Mike Lawler along with Representatives Sanford Bishop, Maria Elvira Salazar, and Yvette Clarke, at a time when concerns are growing that the newly imposed visa fee could deepen staffing shortages across U.S. hospitals and healthcare facilities.
The proposed legislation signals growing concern over how high visa costs could further strain an already stretched U.S. healthcare workforce.
The measure, backed by a cross-party group of representatives, would not only remove the current surcharge for healthcare workers but also prevent the introduction of any future H-1B fees that exceed existing levels for the sector.
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Lawmakers argue that reducing these financial barriers is critical to ensuring hospitals and medical facilities can continue to recruit and retain much-needed talent from abroad.
“As they are in so many areas across our society and economy, immigrant Americans remain indispensable assets to keeping our hospitals and health systems running steadily, efficiently, and effectively. The bipartisan willingness to ensure migrant health care workers are exempted from the $100K fee for H-1B petitions stands as a testament to the widely accepted value and necessity of these workers in one of this country’s most vital, yet vulnerable sectors. I am proud to co-lead this effort to prevent dangerous workforce shortages from impacting the health and well-being of Americans, as well as to ensure that those who are willing to contribute their expertise and talents to our nation can continue to do so at the times when we most need them,” reflected Congresswoman Clarke, as quoted by TOI.
Backing the proposal, the American Hospital Association said the move could play a key role in preserving access to care, particularly in underserved regions. “The AHA commends Representatives Lawler, Bishop, Salazar, and Clarke for introducing bipartisan legislation that would help maintain patient access to care in communities nationwide,” said AHA Executive Vice President Stacey Hughes.
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“Specifically, this important bill will maintain critical staffing for areas of the country where there are well-documented shortages of health care workers.”
The group had earlier urged the administration, in September 2025, to exclude healthcare workers from the new fee, warning that the added cost could discourage hospitals from using the visa program altogether and potentially lead to cuts in essential services.
If enacted, the bill could provide much-needed relief to the U.S. healthcare system by making it easier and more affordable for hospitals to hire skilled professionals from abroad. At a time when many regions, especially rural and underserved areas face persistent staffing shortages, removing the steep visa fee would help facilities fill critical gaps in care.
This, in turn, could reduce wait times, prevent service cutbacks, and improve overall patient access. By lowering financial barriers for recruitment, the measure also supports long-term workforce stability, ensuring that communities across the country continue to receive timely and adequate medical care.