COGME reviews physician workforce trends, training issues, and financing policies, and provides recommendations to address these challenges through both federal and private sector initiatives.
The committee advises:
- The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- The House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce
COGME leadership
Vacant
Appointed members
The legislation dictates that the Council consist of 18 members.
The Secretary of HHS appoints 14 of these members. This includes representatives of:
- Practicing primary care physicians
- National and specialty physician organizations
- International medical graduates
- Medical student and house staff associations
- Schools of medicine and schools of osteopathic medicine
- Public and private teaching hospitals
- Health insurers
- Business
- Labor
Federal representatives
The authorizing legislation dictates that the Council include the following four federal representatives or their designees:
- Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS
- Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS
- Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS
- Chief Medical Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Nominations for membership
Our members includes individuals who represent legislatively mandated categories and serve four-year terms.
We accept nominations on a rolling basis, although categories for appointment will differ by year. We will keep nomination information on file for consideration to fill any vacancies. You can find information about the nomination process for COGME membership on the COGME Federal Registrar Notice.
Are you eligible?
We have 18 voting members:
- Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS, or designee
- Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or designee
- Administrator of HRSA or designee
- Chief Medical Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs or designee
- Six members appointed by the HHS Secretary to include representatives of practicing primary care physicians, national and specialty physician organizations, international medical graduates, and medical student and house staff associations
- Four members appointed by the HHS Secretary to include representatives of schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine, and public and private teaching hospitals
- Four members appointed by the HHS Secretary to include representatives of health insurers, business*, and labor*
The HHS Secretary, in appointing the 14 non-federal members, will ensure a fair balance of members from urban and rural educational settings. Members will be appointed based on their competence, interest, and knowledge. Non-federal members are appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs).
Non-federal members of the Advisory Council appointed under 5, 6, and 7 above are appointed for a term of four years.
We elect one of our members as chair. Nine members is a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. Any vacancy does not affect our power to function.
*Please note: Labor means research and policy expertise in physician workforce issues (for example, supply, demand, distribution, training). Business means expertise in health care delivery systems (for example, health care operations) or medical entrepreneurship.