I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1605 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide loan repayment incentives 

for physician assistants, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2017 

Ms. BASS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways 

and Means, 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 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide loan 

repayment incentives for physician assistants, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Physician Assistant 

5 Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2017’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITY CREDIT FOR SERVICE AS 

2 A CLINICAL PRECEPTOR FOR PHYSICIAN AS3 SISTANT TRAINING. 

4 Section 1848(q)(2)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act 

5 (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(q)(2)(B)(iii)) is amended by adding 

6 at the end the following new subclause: 

7 ‘‘(VII) The subcategory of work8 force development, such as through 

9 service as a preceptor at a clinical 

10 training site for students training to 

11 become physician assistants.’’. 

12 SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF PRIMARY CARE TRAINING 

13 AND ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS. 

14 Section 747(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 

15 U.S.C. 293k(c)) is amended— 

16 (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ‘‘2014’’ 

17 the following: ‘‘and each of fiscal years 2018 

18 through 2022’’; and 

19 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Fifteen’’ and 

20 inserting ‘‘At least 15’’. 

21 SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT 

22 EDUCATION. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

24 Human Services shall provide grants to eligible entities to 

25 fund eligible researchers to increase research on physician 

26 assistant education. 


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1 (b) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity desiring a grant 

2 under this section shall submit to the Secretary an appli3 cation at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

4 information as the Secretary may require. 

5 (c) CONDITION OF RECEIPT.—As a condition of re6 ceipt of a grant under this section, an entity shall each 

7 year award not fewer than eight eligible researchers funds 

8 to support physician assistant education research. 

9 (d) REPORT REQUIREMENT.—An entity receiving a 

10 grant under this section shall provide to the Secretary 

11 with respect to each year that such entity receives funds 

12 under this section a report on the activities conducted 

13 using such funds, including— 

14 (1) the number of researchers supported during 

15 such year by such entity using such funds; 

16 (2) a list of the researchers counted under 

17 paragraph (1), organized by researcher, including— 

18 (A) the institution such researcher is affili19 ated with; and 

20 (B) the research topic of such researcher; 

21 (3) citations to published clinical and scientific 

22 research by researchers described in paragraph (1) 

23 that is attributable to support under this section; 

24 (4) an evaluation of the benefits of grants 

25 under this section; and 


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1 (5) any other information the Secretary may re2 quest. 

3 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti5 ty’’ means an organization that— 

6 (A) is a nonprofit organization; and 

7 (B) has demonstrated expertise in physi8 cian assistant education and faculty develop9 ment. 

10 (2) ELIGIBLE RESEARCHER.—The term ‘‘eligi11 ble researcher’’ means, with respect to an eligible en12 tity, a researcher that— 

13 (A) has demonstrated expertise in physi14 cian assistant education and faculty develop15 ment; and 

16 (B) at such time and in such manner as 

17 such entity may require, provides such entity 

18 with a research proposal on improving physician 

19 assistant education and faculty development. 

20 (3) PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION.—The 

21 term ‘‘physician assistant education’’ means select22 ing, educating, and graduating students in accred23 ited graduate physician assistant educational pro24 grams. 


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1 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

2 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

3 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

4 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

5 necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 

6 2018 through 2022. 

Æ 


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