I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4273 
To establish and carry out a pediatric specialty loan repayment program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 10, 2009 
Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Mr. WILSON 
of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish and carry out a pediatric specialty loan 
repayment program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pediatric Workforce 
Investment Act’’. 
SEC. 2. INVESTMENT IN TOMORROW’S PEDIATRIC SPE-
CIALTY WORKFORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’), acting through the Administrator of the Health 
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Resources and Services Administration, shall establish and 
carry out a pediatric specialty loan repayment program 
under which the eligible individual agrees to be employed 
full-time for a specified period (which shall not be less 
than 2 years) in providing pediatric medical subspecialty, 
surgical specialty, or psychiatric subspecialty care. 
(b) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.—Through the pro-
gram established under this section, the Secretary shall 
enter into contracts with qualified health professionals 
under which— 
(1) such qualified health professionals will agree 
to provide pediatric medical subspecialty, surgical 
specialty, or psychiatric subspecialty care in an area 
with a shortage of the specified pediatric sub-
specialty that has a sufficient pediatric population to 
support such pediatric subspecialty, as determined 
by the Secretary; and 
(2) the Secretary agrees to make payments on 
the principal and interest of undergraduate or grad-
uate medical education loans of professionals de-
scribed in paragraph (1) of not more than $35,000 
a year for each year of agreed upon service under 
such paragraph for a period of not more than 3 
years during the qualified health professional’s— 
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(A) participation in an accredited pediatric 
medical subspecialty, surgical specialty, or psy-
chiatry subspecialty residency or fellowship; or 
(B) employment as a pediatric medical 
subspecialist, surgical specialist, or psychiatric 
subspecialist serving an area or population de-
scribed in such paragraph. 
(c) QUALIFIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.—For pur-
poses of this section, the term ‘‘qualified health profes-
sional’’ means a licensed physician who— 
(1) is entering or receiving training in an ac-
credited pediatric medical subspecialty or pediatric 
surgical specialty residency or fellowship; or 
(2) has completed (but not prior to the end of 
the calendar year in which this Act is enacted) the 
training described in paragraph (1). 
(d) ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.—The 
Secretary may not enter into a contract under this section 
with a qualified health professional unless the individual 
is a United States citizen or a permanent legal United 
States resident. 
(e) DETERMINATION
OF SHORTAGE AREAS.—For 
purposes of this section, an area shall be determined to 
be an area with a shortage of a specified pediatric sub-
specialty based on— 
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(1) waiting times for patient care; 
(2) recruitment for unfilled positions; or 
(3) the ratio of the number of children who re-
side in the area who are in need of such pediatric 
subspecialty care to the number of pediatric sub-
specialists furnishing such services within 100 miles 
of the area. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015. 
Æ 
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