I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4899 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Health 
Service Corps Rural Provider Loan Repayment Program, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 29, 2019 
Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee (for himself, Mrs. BUSTOS, and Mr. 
KUSTOFF of Tennessee) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the 
National Health Service Corps Rural Provider Loan Re-
payment Program, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Rural America Health 
Corps Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS RURAL PRO-
VIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. 
Subpart III of part D of title III of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 338O. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS RURAL 
PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a demonstration project to provide for the par-
ticipation in the Loan Repayment Program de-
scribed in section 338B of individuals who are eligi-
ble for such program, subject to subsection (b), and 
who agree to complete their service obligation in a 
health professional shortage area that is a rural 
area. 
‘‘(2) CLARIFICATION
OF
ADDITIONAL
RURAL 
AREA POSITIONS.—The individuals receiving assist-
ance under this subsection shall be in addition to 
any individuals who are otherwise participating in 
the Loan Repayment Program described in section 
338B and who agree to complete their service obli-
gation in a health professional shortage area that is 
a rural area. 
‘‘(b) PROCEDURE.— 
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‘‘(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive as-
sistance under subsection (a), with respect to the 
program described in section 338B, an individual 
shall— 
‘‘(A) comply with all rules and require-
ments described in such section, except section 
338B(f)(1)(B)(iv) and as provided in paragraph 
(2); and 
‘‘(B) agree to serve for a time period equal 
to 5 years, or such longer period as the indi-
vidual may agree to, in a health professional 
shortage area that is a rural area. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise 
provided in this section, all provisions in this 
subpart and subpart II pertaining to the admin-
istration of, and other requirements with re-
spect to, the Loan Repayment Program de-
scribed in section 338B shall apply to the dem-
onstration project established under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(B) PAYMENTS
FOR
YEARS
SERVED.— 
Consistent with subparagraph (A) and sub-
sections (f) and (g) of section 338B, the Sec-
retary shall pay on behalf of an individual re-
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ceiving assistance under subsection (a) loans in 
accordance with such subsection (g) for each 
year of obligated service the individual contracts 
to serve under paragraph (1)(B). 
‘‘(c) DESIGNATIONS.—The demonstration project de-
scribed in subsection (a), and any providers who are se-
lected to participate in such project, shall not be consid-
ered by the Secretary in the designation of health profes-
sional shortage areas under section 332 during fiscal years 
2020 through 2024. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit 
a report to the relevant committees of Congress that eval-
uates the participation of individuals in the demonstration 
project under subsection (a), the impact of such participa-
tion on rural areas, and the benefit and feasibility of per-
manently allowing such placements in the Loan Repay-
ment Program. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITION OF RURAL AREA.—For purposes of 
this section, the term ‘rural area’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 330J(e).’’. 
Æ 
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