38 U.S.C. § 7601 (VETERANS’ BENEFITS)
§ 7601. Establishment of program; purpose
(a) There is hereby established a program to be known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Educational Assistance Program”). The program consists of—
(1) the scholarship program provided for in subchapter II of this chapter;
(2) the tuition reimbursement program provided for in subchapter III of this chapter;
(3) the Selected Reserve member stipend program provided for under subchapter V of this chapter;
(4) the employee incentive scholarship program provided for in subchapter VI of this chapter; and
(5) the education debt reduction program provided for in subchapter VII of this chapter.
(b) The purpose of the Educational Assistance Program is to assist in providing an adequate supply of trained health-care personnel for the Department and the Nation.
(Added Pub. L. 100–322, title II, § 216(b), May 20, 1988, 102 Stat. 518, § 4301; amended Pub. L. 101–366, title II, § 205(c)(1), Aug. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 441; renumbered § 7601, Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238; Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(2)(B)(vi), (3), (4), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 403, 404; Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, § 1201(e)(25), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4686; Pub. L. 105–368, title VIII, § 805(1), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3358.)
heading: Amendments
text: 1998—Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 105–368 added pars. (4) and (5).
1994—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103–446 substituted semicolon for comma at end.
1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 4301 of this title as this section.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(2)(B)(vi), substituted “Department of Veterans Affairs” for “Veterans’ Administration” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration”.
1990—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 101–366 added par. (3).
heading: Physician Assistant Education and Training Pilot Program for Former Members of the Armed Forces
text: Pub. L. 115–141, div. J, title II, § 246, Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 823, provided that:
“(a) Pilot Program.—
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to provide educational assistance to certain former members of the Armed Forces for education and training as physician assistants of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“(b) Eligible Individuals.—
An individual is eligible to participate in the pilot program if the individual—
“(1) has medical or military health experience gained while serving as a member of the Armed Forces;
“(2) has received a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, master’s degree, or postbaccalaureate training in a science relating to health care; or
“(3) has participated in the delivery of healthcare services or related medical services, including participation in military training relating to the identification, evaluation, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders.
“(c) Duration.—
The pilot program shall be carried out during the 5-year period beginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 23, 2018].
“(d) Selection.—
“(1) The Secretary shall select eligible individuals under subsection (b) to participate in the pilot program.
“(2) In selecting individuals to participate in the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to individuals who agree to be employed as a physician assistant for the Veterans Health Administration at a medical facility of the Department located in a community that—
“(A) is designated as a medically underserved population under section 330(b)(3)(A) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)(A)); and
“(B) is in a State with a per capita population of veterans of more than 5 percent according to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics and the United States Census Bureau.
“(e) Educational Assistance.—
In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall provide educational assistance to individuals participating in the pilot program, including through the use of scholarships, to cover the costs to such individuals of obtaining a master’s degree in physician assistant studies or a similar master’s degree.
“(f) Period of Obligated Service.—
The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with each individual participating in the pilot program in which such individual agrees to be employed as a physician assistant for the Veterans Health Administration for a period of obligated service to be determined by the Secretary.
“(g) Breach.—
An individual who participates in the pilot program and fails to satisfy the period of obligated service under subsection (f) shall be liable to the United States, in lieu of such obligated service, for the amount that has been paid or is payable to or on behalf of the individual under the pilot program, reduced by the proportion that the number of days served for completion of the period of obligated service bears to the total number of days in the period of obligated service of such individual.
“(h) Report.—
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Mar. 23, 2018], the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot program’s effectiveness of helping to meet the shortage of physician assistants employed by the Department.”
heading: Payments to Health-Care Professional Employees for Tuition Loans
text: Pub. L. 102–585, title V, § 523(b), Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 4959, provided that Secretary of Veterans Affairs could not provide payments to health-care professional employees of Department of Veterans Affairs for payment of tuition loans, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–368, title VIII, § 804, Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3358.
heading: Tuition Loan Payment Program
text: Pub. L. 102–389, title I, Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1574, provided in part for an appropriation: “For payment of outstanding tuition loans to Department of Veterans Affairs health care professional employees (excluding physicians and dentists) who agree to remain in service for one year or more, $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 1994: Provided, That the Secretary, in order to recruit and retain such employees, may make such payments, not to exceed $3,000 during any calendar year, or $12,000 in total, to any such employee who has an outstanding tuition loan from an educational institution approved by the Secretary that has led to a degree in the health care occupation in which such individual is employed: Provided further, That no payment shall be made in advance: Provided further, That regulations shall be promulgated by the Secretary to implement this program.”