Title: Rural America Health Corps Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Rural America Health Corps Act  This bill requires the Health Resources and Services Administration to establish a demonstration project under the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program to increase the number of health care providers in rural areas. Specifically, eligible participants who agree to serve for 5 years in such a rural area may receive up to $25,000 in loan repayments for each year of service.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2406 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2406

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2019

Mrs. Blackburn (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Jones, and Ms. 
  Murkowski) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the National Health 
  Service Corps Rural Provider Loan Repayment Program, 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 ``Rural America Health Corps Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS RURAL PROVIDER 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 establish a 
        demonstration project to provide for the participation in the 
        Loan Repayment Program described in section 338B of individuals 
        who are eligible 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 assistance 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 obligation 
        in a health professional shortage area that is a rural area.
    ``(b) Procedure.--
            ``(1) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive assistance 
        under subsection (a), with respect to the program described in 
        section 338B, an individual shall--
                    ``(A) comply with all rules and requirements 
                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 individual 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 administration of, and 
                other requirements with respect to, the Loan Repayment 
                Program described in section 338B shall apply to the 
                demonstration project established under this section.
                    ``(B) Payments for years served.--Consistent with 
                subparagraph (A) and subsections (f) and (g) of section 
                338B, the Secretary shall pay on behalf of an 
                individual receiving 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 described in 
subsection (a), and any providers who are selected to participate in 
such project, shall not be considered by the Secretary in the 
designation of health professional 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 evaluates the participation of individuals 
in the demonstration project under subsection (a), the impact of such 
participation on rural areas, and the benefit and feasibility of 
permanently allowing such placements in the Loan Repayment 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).''.
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