Indian-origin US lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi introduces bills to help immigrant doctors, nurses

Indian-origin US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. Indian-origin US lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi, along with Congressman Adam Smith, has introduced two bills aimed at helping immigrant and internationally trained healthcare professionals overcome licensing and training barriers and join the US healthcare workforce amid rising shortages of medical workers.The Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act and the Internationally Trained Physicians Assistance Act, introduced by Democratic Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Adam Smith, would provide support for training, licensing and certification for immigrants seeking healthcare careers, including doctors trained outside the US.Smith said thousands of qualified healthcare professionals are unable to use their skills in the US because of licensing barriers, even as patients face longer waits for care.“We have thousands of skilled nurses, doctors, and health professionals in this country whose training and expertise are going to waste because their professional expertise is not recognized and they face numerous barriers to achieving the needed licensure,” Smith said.What the bills proposeThe Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health A...