Index for HR3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Waxman, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Andrews) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

(a) Definitions.—Section 801 (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting “nurse-managed health centers,” after “nursing centers,”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(16) NURSE-MANAGED HEALTH CENTER.—The term ‘nurse-managed health center’—

“(A) means a nurse-practice arrangement, managed by one or more advanced practice nurses, that provides primary care or wellness services to underserved or vulnerable populations and is associated with an accredited school of nursing, Federally qualified health center, or independent nonprofit health or social services agency; and

“(B) shall not be construed as changing State law requirements applicable to an advanced practice nurse or the authorized scope of practice of such a nurse.”.

(b) Grants for health professions education.—Title VIII (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended by striking section 807.

(c) Reports.—Part A of title VIII (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“The Secretary shall submit to the Congress a separate annual report on the activities carried out under each of sections 811, 821, 836, 846A, and 861.”.

(d) Advanced education nursing grants.—Section 811(f) (42 U.S.C. 296j(f)) is amended—

(1) by striking paragraph (2);

(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); and

(3) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated, by striking “that agrees” and all that follows through the end and inserting: “that agrees to expend the award—

“(A) to train advanced education nurses who will practice in health professional shortage areas designated under section 332; or

“(B) to increase diversity among advanced education nurses.”.

(e) Nurse education, practice, and retention grants.—Section 831 (42 U.S.C. 296p) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b), by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

“(3) providing coordinated care, quality care, and other skills needed to practice nursing; or”; and

(2) by striking subsection (e) and redesignating subsections (f) through (h) as subsections (e) through (g), respectively.

(f) Student loans.—Subsection (a) of section 836 (42 U.S.C. 297b) is amended—

(1) by striking “$2,500” and inserting “$3,300”;

(2) by striking “$4,000” and inserting “$5,200”;

(3) by striking “$13,000” and inserting “$17,000”; and

(4) by adding at the end the following: “Beginning with fiscal year 2012, the dollar amounts specified in this subsection shall be adjusted by an amount determined by the Secretary on an annual basis to reflect inflation.”.

(g) Loan repayment.—Section 846 (42 U.S.C. 297n) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

“(3) who enters into an agreement with the Secretary to serve for a period of not less than 2 years—

“(A) as a nurse at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses; or

“(B) as a faculty member at an accredited school of nursing;”; and

(2) in subsection (g)(1), by striking “to provide health services” each place it appears and inserting “to provide health services or serve as a faculty member”.

(h) Nurse faculty loan program.—Paragraph (2) of section 846A(c) (42 U.S.C. 297n–1(c)) is amended by striking “$30,000” and all that follows through the semicolon and inserting “$35,000, plus, beginning with fiscal year 2012, an amount determined by the Secretary on an annual basis to reflect inflation;”.

(i) Public service announcements.—Title VIII (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended by striking part H.

(j) Technical and conforming amendments.—Title VIII (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended—

(1) by moving section 810 (relating to prohibition against discrimination by schools on the basis of sex) so that it follows section 809, as added by subsection (c);

(2) in sections 835, 836, 838, 840, and 842, by striking the term “this subpart” each place it appears and inserting “this part”;

(3) in section 836(h), by striking the last sentence;

(4) in section 836, by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (k);

(5) in section 839, by striking “839” and all that follows through “(a)” and inserting “839. (a)”;

(6) in section 835(b), by striking “841” each place it appears and inserting “871”;

(7) by redesignating section 841 as section 871, moving part F to the end of the title, and redesignating such part as part H;

(8) in part G—

(A) by redesignating section 845 as section 851; and

(B) by redesignating part G as part F; and

(9) in part I—

(A) by redesignating section 855 as section 861; and

(B) by redesignating part I as part G.

(k) Funding.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Part H, as redesignated, of title VIII is amended by adding at the end the following:

“For the purpose of carrying out this title, in addition to any other amounts authorized to be appropriated for such purpose, there are authorized to be appropriated, out of any monies in the Public Health Investment Fund, the following:

“(1) $115,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.

“(2) $122,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

“(3) $127,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.

“(4) $134,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.

“(5) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.”.

(2) EXISTING AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

(A) SECTIONS 831, 846, 846A, AND 861.—Sections 831(g) (as so redesignated), 846(i)(1) (42 U.S.C. 297n(i)(1)), 846A(f) (42 U.S.C. 297n–1(f)), and 861(e) (as so redesignated) are amended by striking “2007” each place it appears and inserting “2015”.

(B) SECTION 871.—Section 871, as so redesignated by subsection (j), is amended to read as follows:

“For the purpose of carrying out parts B, C, and D (subject to section 851(g)), there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2015.”.