Representatives Mann, Neguse Introduce SHARE Act, Address Health Care Workforce Shortage

US Representatives Tracey Mann of Kansas and Joe Neguse of Colorado led 11 of their colleagues March 1 in introducing the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act.

This legislation would improve the current licensing process for health care providers and increase the number of licensed providers able to serve communities across state lines.

"Health care facilities and hospitals are experiencing extreme workforce shortages that are causing a considerable strain on our health care system, especially in our rural communities," said Representative Mann. "One way that we can address this shortage is to improve the licensure process for our current providers, who must obtain a unique license or certification from each state in which they practice. The licensure process can be burdensome and strips providers of the ability to practice in any new state until their application is approved – sometimes taking more than half a year. If we want to improve the health of those in the Big First, and in rural areas and communities around the country, we must expand employment opportunities and help expedite this licensure process for our providers."

The SHARE Act would make a technical correction to modernize a vital component of the licensure process for health care providers by removing red tape and reducing administrative burden. This legislation authorizes the FBI to share criminal history record information between states for licensure purposes.

It would also maintain states' rights to determine provider eligibility. This legislation allows cooperation between states while protecting each states' authority to determine whether a provider is eligible to practice in the state.

And it would also address the workforce shortage. This legislation extends the reach of health care professionals, eliminating the time necessary for state-to-state checks, improving access to medical specialists and leveraging the use of new medical technologies like telehealth.