March 19, 2026
A bill has been introduced in Congress (HR 7961) that would remove the $100,000 application fee for foreign healthcare workers seeking H-1B visas to work in the U.S., according to The New York Times. The fee was put into place last fall by the Trump Administration.
The legislation, known as the Welcoming International Success Act (WISA Act), is being championed by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-New Jersey).
The $100,000 fee could cripple the healthcare field, in which 30% of residents are international medical graduates. The AMA has been working to find exemptions for this fee, given the shortage in healthcare professionals already.
“I live in Flint, Michigan, a very medically underserved place that really depends on international medical graduates," AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, told the Times. “If this doesn’t get fixed, it leaves places like my hometown and other rural communities without enough physicians to take care of that population.”
So far, no Minnesota representatives have signed on to the bill. Physicians are encouraged to contact their representative today to show their support.
October 29, 2026
On October 28, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a new project called “Strengthening Rural Maternal Healthcare in Minnesota,” which is designed to propose solutions to the increasing problem of lack of nearby access to maternal healthcare, especially labor and delivery services for people in Greater Minnesota.
October 29, 2026
MN Community Measurement (MNCM) has announced plans to expand the scope of its work from quality measurement and reporting to broader health information exchange (HIE) services.
October 29, 2026
Next Tuesday, November 3, is Election Day. Make sure you have a plan to vote, if you haven’t already.