Title: Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2017
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Physician Assistant Education Public Health Initiatives Act of 2017
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to include workforce development as a type of clinical practice improvement activity for purposes of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). (MIPS adjusts Medicare payments to providers based on performance measures related to quality, cost, utilization of electronic health records, and clinical practice improvement activities.)
The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend through FY2022 support provided by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the development, operation, expansion, and improvement of primary care training programs.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1605 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Physician Assistant Education Public 
Health Initiatives Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITY CREDIT FOR SERVICE AS A CLINICAL PRECEPTOR 
              FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT TRAINING.

    Section 1848(q)(2)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395w-4(q)(2)(B)(iii)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subclause:
                                    ``(VII) The subcategory of 
                                workforce development, such as through 
                                service as a preceptor at a clinical 
                                training site for students training to 
                                become physician assistants.''.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 747(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k(c)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``2014'' the 
        following: ``and each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Fifteen'' and inserting 
        ``At least 15''.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
provide grants to eligible entities to fund eligible researchers to 
increase research on physician assistant education.
    (b) Application.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (c) Condition of Receipt.--As a condition of receipt of a grant 
under this section, an entity shall each year award not fewer than 
eight eligible researchers funds to support physician assistant 
education research.
    (d) Report Requirement.--An entity receiving a grant under this 
section shall provide to the Secretary with respect to each year that 
such entity receives funds under this section a report on the 
activities conducted using such funds, including--
            (1) the number of researchers supported during such year by 
        such entity using such funds;
            (2) a list of the researchers counted under paragraph (1), 
        organized by researcher, including--
                    (A) the institution such researcher is affiliated 
                with; and
                    (B) the research topic of such researcher;
            (3) citations to published clinical and scientific research 
        by researchers described in paragraph (1) that is attributable 
        to support under this section;
            (4) an evaluation of the benefits of grants under this 
        section; and
            (5) any other information the Secretary may request.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        organization that--
                    (A) is a nonprofit organization; and
                    (B) has demonstrated expertise in physician 
                assistant education and faculty development.
            (2) Eligible researcher.--The term ``eligible researcher'' 
        means, with respect to an eligible entity, a researcher that--
                    (A) has demonstrated expertise in physician 
                assistant education and faculty development; and
                    (B) at such time and in such manner as such entity 
                may require, provides such entity with a research 
                proposal on improving physician assistant education and 
                faculty development.
            (3) Physician assistant education.--The term ``physician 
        assistant education'' means selecting, educating, and 
        graduating students in accredited graduate physician assistant 
        educational programs.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022.
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