Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2024

HR 9849, the Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2024, addresses critical shortages in medical laboratory staff by expanding federal workforce programs. It adds medical laboratory personnel - including phlebotomists, technicians, and genetic counselors - to the National Health Service Corps, allowing them to work in underserved areas, and includes them in loan repayment programs. The bill also creates a new $25 million education grant program to fund accredited training for lab professionals, prioritizing rural, underrepresented, and disadvantaged communities. These changes directly affect medical laboratory workers and communities facing staffing shortages in diagnostic testing.