Access to Frontline Health Care Act of 2015

Summary: Access to Frontline Health Care Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and carry out a Frontline Providers Loan Repayment Program under which HHS makes student loan repayments in exchange for a health professional providing frontline care services for two years in a frontline care scarcity area. Frontline care services include surgery, optometry, physical therapy, pharmacies, public health, dietetics, occupational therapy, pediatrics, and medical technology. Frontline care scarcity areas are federal health professional shortage areas and areas, populations, or facilities designated by a state as having a shortage of frontline care services.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Access to Frontline Health Care Act 
of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FRONTLINE PROVIDERS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    Part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
254b et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the second subpart XI (as added by 
        section 10333 of Public Law 111-148) as subpart XII;
            (2) by redesignating the second section 340H (as added by 
        such section 10333) as section 340I; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:

             ``Subpart XIII--Frontline Health Care Services

``SEC. 340J. FRONTLINE PROVIDERS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish and carry out a 
Frontline Providers Loan Repayment Program (in this section referred to 
as the `Loan Repayment Program') under which, pursuant to contracts in 
accordance with this section--
            ``(1) the Secretary agrees to make student loan repayments; 
        and
            ``(2) the individual agrees to serve as a health 
        professional for a period of full-time service of not less than 
        2 years at a health care facility serving a frontline care 
        scarcity area.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the Loan 
Repayment Program, an individual must--
            ``(1) submit an application to participate in the Loan 
        Repayment Program in such form and manner and at such time as 
        specified by the Secretary; and
            ``(2) sign and submit to the Secretary, at the time of 
        submittal of such application, a written contract (described in 
        subsection (d)).
    ``(c) Participation in Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--An individual becomes a participant in 
        the Loan Repayment Program only upon the approval of the 
        Secretary of the individual's application submitted under 
        subsection (b)(1) and the Secretary's acceptance of the 
        contract submitted by the individual under subsection (b)(2).
            ``(2) Preference.--In awarding contracts under this 
        section, the Secretary shall give preference to applicants who 
        have undertaken training or coursework in interdisciplinary 
        studies.
            ``(3) Recruitment for interdisciplinary programs.--The 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) determine the frontline care scarcity areas 
                in which to place contract recipients under this 
                section; and
                    ``(B) in making such determination, give preference 
                to areas with a demonstrated program of 
                interdisciplinary health care, or with demonstrated 
                plans to initiate interdisciplinary approaches to 
                community health care.
            ``(4) Notice.--The Secretary shall provide written notice 
        to an individual promptly upon the Secretary's approving, under 
        paragraph (1), of the individual's participation in the Loan 
        Repayment Program.
    ``(d) Contract.--The contract described in this subsection is a 
written contract between the Secretary and an individual that 
contains--
            ``(1) an agreement that--
                    ``(A) the Secretary agrees to provide the 
                individual with student loan repayment (described in 
                subsection (e)) for a period of time as determined by 
                the Secretary, to pay off debts incurred during the 
                course of the study or program described in subsection 
                (g)(2)(B); and
                    ``(B) the individual agrees--
                            ``(i) to accept provision of such a student 
                        loan repayment to the individual; and
                            ``(ii) to provide frontline care services 
                        for a period of full-time service of not less 
                        than 2 years at a health care facility serving 
                        a frontline care scarcity area;
            ``(2) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        section and any obligation of the individual which is 
        conditioned thereon, is contingent upon funds being 
        appropriated for student loan repayment under this section;
            ``(3) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled, under subsection (f), for the individual's breach 
        of the contract; and
            ``(4) such other statements as the Secretary deems 
        appropriate of the rights and liabilities of the Secretary and 
        of the individual, not inconsistent with the provisions of this 
        section.
    ``(e) Student Loan Repayment.--
            ``(1) Amount.--The amount of an annual student loan 
        repayment under this section on behalf of an individual shall 
        be determined by the Secretary, and shall take into 
        consideration the need to pay a sufficient amount to enable 
        recruiting of health care providers into the loan repayment 
        program under this section.
            ``(2) Payments directly to loan provider.--The Secretary 
        may contract with an individual's loan provider, for the 
        payment to the loan provider, on behalf of the individual, of 
        the amounts of a student loan repayment described in paragraph 
        (1).
    ``(f) Breach of Contract.--If an individual breaches a written 
contract under this section by failing to begin such individual's 
service obligation, or to complete such service obligation, the United 
States shall be entitled to recover from the individual an amount that 
is equal to the sum of--
            ``(1) the total amount which has been paid to the 
        individual, or on behalf of the individual, under the contract; 
        and
            ``(2) any amount of interest, as determined by the 
        Secretary.
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `frontline care scarcity area' means an 
        area, population group, or facility that--
                    ``(A) is designated as a health professional 
                shortage area under section 332; or
                    ``(B) is designated by the State in which the area 
                is located as having a shortage of frontline care 
                services.
            ``(2) The term `frontline care services' means health care 
        services--
                    ``(A) in the field of general surgery, optometry, 
                ophthalmology, chiropractic, physical therapy, 
                audiology, speech language pathology, pharmacies, 
                public health, podiatric medicine, dietetics, 
                occupational therapy, general pediatrics, respiratory 
                therapy, medical technology, otolaryngology, or 
                radiologic technology; and
                    ``(B) provided by a general surgeon, optometrist, 
                ophthalmologist, chiropractor, physical therapist, 
                audiologist, speech language pathologist, pharmacist, 
                public health professional, podiatric physician, 
                registered dietician, occupational therapist, 
                pediatrician, respiratory therapist, medical 
                technologist, otolaryngologist, or radiologic 
                technologist who has completed an appropriate course of 
                study or program, offered by an accredited institution 
                of higher education in the United States.
    ``(h) Implementation.--The Secretary shall begin implementation of 
the loan repayment program under this section within 180 days of the 
date of the enactment of this section.''.