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,

Part D of title III (42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.), as amended by section 2211, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(a) Establishment.—There is established, within the Service, the Public Health Workforce Corps (in this subpart referred to as the ‘Corps’), for the purpose of ensuring an adequate supply of public health professionals throughout the Nation. The Corps shall consist of—

“(1) such officers of the Regular and Reserve Corps of the Service as the Secretary may designate;

“(2) such civilian employees of the United States as the Secretary may appoint; and

“(3) such other individuals who are not employees of the United States.

“(b) Administration.—Except as provided in subsection (c), the Secretary shall carry out this subpart acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“(c) Placement and assignment.—The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall develop a methodology for placing and assigning Corps participants as public health professionals. Such methodology may allow for placing and assigning such participants in State, local, and tribal health departments and Federally qualified health centers (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act).

“(d) Application of certain provisions.—The provisions of subpart II shall, except as inconsistent with this subpart, apply to the Public Health Workforce Corps in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps established under section 331.

“(e) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the programs carried out under this subpart.

“(a) Establishment.—The Secretary shall establish the Public Health Workforce Scholarship Program (referred to in this section as the ‘Program’) for the purpose described in section 340L(a).

“(b) Eligibility.—To be eligible to participate in the Program, an individual shall—

“(1)(A) be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a full-time or part-time student in a course of study or program (approved by the Secretary) at an accredited graduate school or program of public health; or

“(B) have demonstrated expertise in public health and be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a full-time or part-time student in a course of study or program (approved by the Secretary) at—

“(i) an accredited graduate school or program of nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine; or

“(ii) another accredited graduate school or program, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary;

“(2) be eligible for, or hold, an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Service or be eligible for selection for civilian service in the Corps; and

“(3) sign and submit to the Secretary a written contract (described in subsection (c)) to serve full-time as a public health professional, upon the completion of the course of study or program involved, for the period of obligated service described in subsection (c)(2)(E).

“(c) Contract.—The written contract between the Secretary and an individual under subsection (b)(3) shall contain—

“(1) an agreement on the part of the Secretary that the Secretary will—

“(A) provide the individual with a scholarship for a period of years (not to exceed 4 academic years) during which the individual shall pursue an approved course of study or program to prepare the individual to serve in the public health workforce; and

“(B) accept (subject to the availability of appropriated funds) the individual into the Corps;

“(2) an agreement on the part of the individual that the individual will—

“(A) accept provision of such scholarship to the individual;

“(B) maintain full-time or part-time enrollment in the approved course of study or program described in subsection (b)(1) until the individual completes that course of study or program;

“(C) while enrolled in the approved course of study or program, maintain an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the educational institution offering such course of study or program);

“(D) if applicable, complete a residency or internship; and

“(E) serve full-time as a public health professional for a period of time equal to the greater of—

“(i) 1 year for each academic year for which the individual was provided a scholarship under the Program; or

“(ii) 2 years; and

“(3) an agreement by both parties as to the nature and extent of the scholarship assistance, which may include—

“(A) payment of reasonable educational expenses of the individual, including tuition, fees, books, equipment, and laboratory expenses; and

“(B) payment of a stipend of not more than $1,269 (plus, beginning with fiscal year 2012, an amount determined by the Secretary on an annual basis to reflect inflation) per month for each month of the academic year involved, with the dollar amount of such a stipend determined by the Secretary taking into consideration whether the individual is enrolled full-time or part-time.

“(d) Application of certain provisions.—The provisions of subpart III shall, except as inconsistent with this subpart, apply to the scholarship program under this section in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program established under section 338A.

“(a) Establishment.—The Secretary shall establish the Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (referred to in this section as the ‘Program’) for the purpose described in section 340L(a).

“(b) Eligibility.—To be eligible to participate in the Program, an individual shall—

“(1)(A) have a graduate degree from an accredited school or program of public health;

“(B) have demonstrated expertise in public health and have a graduate degree in a course of study or program (approved by the Secretary) from—

“(i) an accredited school or program of nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine; or

“(ii) another accredited school or program approved by the Secretary; or

“(C) be enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in the final year of a course of study or program (approved by the Secretary) offered by a school or program described in subparagraph (A) or (B), leading to a graduate degree;

“(2) be eligible for, or hold, an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Service or be eligible for selection for civilian service in the Corps;

“(3) if applicable, complete a residency or internship; and

“(4) sign and submit to the Secretary a written contract (described in subsection (c)) to serve full-time as a public health professional for the period of obligated service described in subsection (c)(2).

“(c) Contract.—The written contract between the Secretary and an individual under subsection (b)(4) shall contain—

“(1) an agreement by the Secretary to repay on behalf of the individual loans incurred by the individual in the pursuit of the relevant public health workforce educational degree in accordance with the terms of the contract;

“(2) an agreement by the individual to serve full-time as a public health professional for a period of time equal to 2 years or such longer period as the individual may agree to; and

“(3) in the case of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(C) who is in the final year of study and who has accepted employment as a public health professional, in accordance with section 340L(c), an agreement on the part of the individual to complete the education or training, maintain an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the educational institution offering the course of study or training), and serve the period of obligated service described in paragraph (2).

“(d) Payments.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—A loan repayment provided for an individual under a written contract under the Program shall consist of payment, in accordance with paragraph (2), on behalf of the individual of the principal, interest, and related expenses on government and commercial loans received by the individual regarding the undergraduate or graduate education of the individual (or both), which loans were made for reasonable educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books, equipment, and laboratory expenses, incurred by the individual.

“(2) PAYMENTS FOR YEARS SERVED.—

“(A) IN GENERAL.—For each year of obligated service that an individual contracts to serve under subsection (c), the Secretary may pay up to $35,000 (plus, beginning with fiscal year 2012, an amount determined by the Secretary on an annual basis to reflect inflation) on behalf of the individual for loans described in paragraph (1).

“(B) REPAYMENT SCHEDULE.—Any arrangement made by the Secretary for the making of loan repayments in accordance with this subsection shall provide that any repayments for a year of obligated service shall be made no later than the end of the fiscal year in which the individual completes such year of service.

“(e) Application of certain provisions.—The provisions of subpart III shall, except as inconsistent with this subpart, apply to the loan repayment program under this section in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established under section 338B.”.

Section 765 (42 U.S.C. 295) is amended to read as follows:

“(a) Program.—The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall establish a public health workforce training and enhancement program consisting of awarding grants and contracts under subsection (b).

“(b) Grants and contracts.—The Secretary shall award grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities—

“(1) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in, an accredited professional training program in the field of public health (including such a program in nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine) for members of the public health workforce, including midcareer professionals;

“(2) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to students who are participants in any such program and who plan to specialize or work in the field of public health;

“(3) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in a program for the training of public health professionals who plan to teach in any program described in paragraph (1); and

“(4) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to public health professionals who are participants in any program described in paragraph (1) and who plan to teach in the field of public health, including nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine.

“(c) Eligibility.—To be eligible for a grant or contract under this section, an entity shall be—

“(1) an accredited health professions school, including an accredited school or program of public health; nursing; health administration, management, or policy; preventive medicine; laboratory science; veterinary medicine; or dental medicine;

“(2) a State, local, or tribal health department;

“(3) a public or private nonprofit entity; or

“(4) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (3).

“(d) Preference.—In awarding grants or contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to entities that have a demonstrated record of at least one of the following:

“(1) Training a high or significantly improved percentage of public health professionals who serve in underserved communities.

“(2) Training individuals who are from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented among public health professionals).

“(3) Training individuals in public health specialties experiencing a significant shortage of public health professionals (as determined by the Secretary).

“(4) Training a high or significantly improved percentage of public health professionals serving in the Federal Government or a State, local, or tribal government.

“(e) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the program carried out under this section.”.

Section 766 (42 U.S.C. 295a) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking “in furtherance of the goals established by the Secretary for the year 2000” and inserting “in furtherance of the goals established by the Secretary in the national prevention and wellness strategy under section 3121”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(d) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the program carried out under this section.”.

Section 768 (42 U.S.C. 295c) is amended to read as follows:

“(a) Grants.—The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration and in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall award grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities to provide training to graduate medical residents in preventive medicine specialties.

“(b) Eligibility.—To be eligible for a grant or contract under subsection (a), an entity shall be—

“(1) an accredited school of public health or school of medicine or osteopathic medicine;

“(2) an accredited public or private nonprofit hospital;

“(3) a State, local, or tribal health department; or

“(4) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (3).

“(c) Use of funds.—Amounts received under a grant or contract under this section shall be used to—

“(1) plan, develop (including the development of curricula), operate, or participate in an accredited residency or internship program in preventive medicine or public health;

“(2) defray the costs of practicum experiences, as required in such a program; and

“(3) establish, maintain, or improve—

“(A) academic administrative units (including departments, divisions, or other appropriate units) in preventive medicine and public health; or

“(B) programs that improve clinical teaching in preventive medicine and public health.

“(d) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the program carried out under this section.”.

(a) In general.—Section 799C, as added by section 2216 of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Public health workforce.—For the purpose of carrying out subpart XII of part D of title III and sections 765, 766, and 768, 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) $51,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.

“(2) $54,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

“(3) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.

“(4) $59,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.

“(5) $62,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.”.

(b) Existing authorization of appropriations.—Subsection (a) of section 770 (42 U.S.C. 295e) is amended by striking “2002” and inserting “2015”.