Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2015

Summary: Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into contracts to repay the student loans of physician assistants who agree to serve as: (1) faculty members for physician assistant education programs; or (2) physician assistants in health professional shortage areas, in medically underserved areas, or at health centers serving medically underserved populations. The bill extends through FY2021 programs that: (1) award grants to health professional schools to provide need-based scholarships, (2) repay the student loans of health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds who agree to serve as faculty members at health professional schools, (3) support fellowships to increase the number of underrepresented minority faculty members at health professional schools, and (4) award grants to health professional schools to assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Support provided by HHS for the development, operation, expansion, and improvement of primary care training programs is revised and extended through FY2021. HHS must award grants to nonprofit organizations to increase research on physician assistant education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Physician Assistant Education Public 
Health Initiatives Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT FOR CERTAIN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS.

    (a) In General.--Part C of title VII of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 293k et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

                  ``Subpart III--Physician Assistants

``SEC. 749C. FACULTY POSITIONS IN PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION PROGRAM 
              LOAN REPAYMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Contracts.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary 
        shall enter into contracts with eligible individuals under 
        which such an individual agrees to serve as a full-time member 
        of the faculty at a graduate-level physician assistant 
        education program (as defined in section 799B) in consideration 
        of the Federal Government agreeing to pay, for each year of 
        such service, at the end of each such year, not more than 
        $10,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans 
        of such individual.
            ``(2) Cap.--The Secretary may not pay more than $45,000 
        under this section for any individual.
    ``(b) Definitions.--
            ``(1) Eligible individual.--In this section, the term 
        `eligible individual' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) is a citizen, national, or lawful permanent 
                resident of the United States;
                    ``(B) has a degree from a graduate-level physician 
                assistant education program;
                    ``(C) has contracted with a graduate-level 
                physician assistant education program to serve as a 
                member of the faculty for not less than 2 years; and
                    ``(D) either--
                            ``(i) holds a license as a physician 
                        assistant; or
                            ``(ii) is qualified for licensure as a 
                        physician assistant in a State where such 
                        individual serves as a full-time member of the 
                        faculty at a graduate-level physician assistant 
                        education program.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2021.

``SEC. 749D. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall enter into contracts with 
eligible individuals under which such an individual agrees to serve for 
at least 2 years as a full-time physician assistant in a health 
professional shortage area, in a medically underserved area, or at a 
health center in consideration of the Federal Government agreeing to 
pay the eligible amount of the principal and interest of the 
educational loans of such individual.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible amount.--The term `eligible amount' means, 
        with respect to an eligible individual who has entered into a 
        contract under subsection (a), with respect to the aggregate 
        principal and interest on educational loans of such individual 
        outstanding on the date such individual began the service 
        described in such contract--
                    ``(A) for each of the first two years of service 
                under such contract, 30 percent of such aggregate 
                principal and interest; and
                    ``(B) for the third year, if any, of service under 
                such contract, 25 percent of such aggregate principal 
                and interest.
            ``(2) Eligible individual.--The term `eligible individual' 
        means an individual who--
                    ``(A) is a citizen, national, or lawful permanent 
                resident of the United States;
                    ``(B) has a degree from a graduate-level physician 
                assistant education program; and
                    ``(C) has contracted with a health care provider 
                located in a health professional shortage area or a 
                medically underserved area or with a health center to 
                serve as a physician assistant for not less than 2 
                years.
            ``(3) Health center.--The term `health center' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 330(a).
            ``(4) Medically underserved area.--The term `medically 
        underserved area' has the meaning given the term `medically 
        underserved community' in section 799B(6).
            ``(5) Health professional shortage area.--The term `health 
        professional shortage area' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 332(a).
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2021.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply 
with respect to service occurring on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

SEC. 3. EXTENDING AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO SUPPORT FACULTY 
              DEVELOPMENT AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.

    Section 740 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293d) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting after ``2014'' the 
        following: ``and each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2021'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by inserting after ``2014'' the 
        following: ``and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
        fiscal years 2017 through 2021''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting after ``2014'' the 
        following: ``and each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2021''.

SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 747(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k(c)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``2014'' the 
        following: ``and each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Fifteen'' and inserting 
        ``At least 15''.

SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
provide grants to eligible entities to fund eligible researchers to 
increase research on physician assistant education.
    (b) Application.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (c) Condition of Receipt.--As a condition of receipt of a grant 
under this section, an entity shall each year award not fewer than 
eight eligible researchers funds to support physician assistant 
education research.
    (d) Report Requirement.--An entity receiving a grant under this 
section shall provide to the Secretary with respect to each year that 
such entity receives funds under this section a report on the 
activities conducted using such funds, including--
            (1) the number of researchers supported during such year by 
        such entity using such funds;
            (2) a list of the researchers counted under paragraph (1), 
        organized by researcher, including--
                    (A) the institution such researcher is affiliated 
                with; and
                    (B) the research topic of such researcher;
            (3) citations to published clinical and scientific research 
        by researchers described in paragraph (1) that is attributable 
        to support under this section;
            (4) an evaluation of the benefits of grants under this 
        section; and
            (5) any other information the Secretary may request.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        organization that--
                    (A) is a non-profit organization; and
                    (B) has demonstrated expertise in physician 
                assistant education and faculty development.
            (2) Eligible researcher.--The term ``eligible researcher'' 
        means, with respect to an eligible entity, a researcher that--
                    (A) has demonstrated expertise in physician 
                assistant education and faculty development; and
                    (B) at such time and in such manner as such entity 
                may require, provides such entity with a research 
                proposal on improving physician assistant education and 
                faculty development.
            (3) Physician assistant education.--The term ``physician 
        assistant education'' means selecting, educating, and 
        graduating students in accredited graduate physician assistant 
        educational programs.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.