Pharmacy Education Aid Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-648
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
Introduced: 2003-03-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Armed Forces and National Security
College teachers
Computers
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuing education
Crime and Law Enforcement
Distance education
Drug therapy
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational technology
Federal aid to education
Graduate education
Higher education
Hospitals
Income tax
Indian medical care
Medicaid
Medical education
Medically uninsured
Military hospitals
Military medicine
Minorities
Pharmacists
Prisons
Professional education
Public health personnel
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Student loan funds
Taxation
Veterans' hospitals
Veterans' medical care

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Pharmacy Education Aid Act of 2003 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to permit payments of up to $35,000 on behalf of an individual (recipient) for the repayment of pharmacy education loans for each year the recipient serves in a health care facility with a critical shortage of pharmacists. 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments to recipients to offset tax liability. 
Requires repayment to the Federal Government by recipients who fail to maintain acceptable levels of academic standing, are dismissed for disciplinary reasons, voluntarily terminate their programs, or fail to provide health services in accordance with their commitments after their academic program is completed. Permits a waiver of liability under specified circumstances. 
Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish student loan programs to increase the number of faculty at schools of pharmacy. Directs each school in which such a program is established to pay at least one-ninth of the Federal capital contributions. Caps loans from such programs to individual students at $35,000 annually. Requires, upon completion of specified employment requirements as a faculty member, that an amount up to 85 percent of loans (plus interest thereon) from such a program be canceled, with the Federal Government reimbursing the school for its proportionate share of the canceled amount. 
Authorizes the Secretary to award grants or contracts to qualifying pharmacy schools for computer-based pharmaceutical education systems.
action_date: 2003-11-06
text: 
Pharmacy Education Aid Act of 2003 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make payments of up to $35,000 on behalf of a qualifying individual with a baccalaureate or doctorate pharmacy degree and a license to practice for the repayment of pharmacy education loans for each year (two-year minimum) that the individual serves in a health care facility with a critical shortage of pharmacists. 
 
Provides for: (1) additional tax liability payments; (2) financial need preference; (3) Federal repayment by an individual who fails to provide the required health services, unless otherwise waived by the Secretary; and (4) a program report within five years of enactment of this Act.
 
Authorizes FY 2004 through 2008 appropriations.
 
Directs the Secretary to make payments of up to $35,000 on behalf of a qualifying individual with a baccalaureate or doctorate pharmacy degree or in the final year of such study for the repayment of pharmacy educational loans for each year (two-year minimum) that such person serves as a faculty member at a school of pharmacy which provides assistance to: (1) medically underserved areas; (2) prisons; (3) veterans or the armed forces; (4) the Indian Health Service; or (5) a disproportionate share hospital under the Social Security Act. States that such payments shall be in addition to regular faculty compensation.
 
Authorizes FY 2004 through 2008 appropriations.

action_date: 2003-11-25
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on November 6, 2003. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Pharmacy Education Aid Act of 2003 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make payments of up to $35,000 on behalf of a qualifying individual with a baccalaureate or doctorate pharmacy degree and a license to practice for the repayment of pharmacy education loans for each year (two-year minimum) that the individual serves in a health care facility with a critical shortage of pharmacists. 
 
Provides for: (1) additional tax liability payments; (2) financial need preference; (3) Federal repayment by an individual who fails to provide the required health services, unless otherwise waived by the Secretary; and (4) a program report within five years of enactment of this Act.
 
Authorizes FY 2004 through 2008 appropriations.
 
Directs the Secretary to make payments of up to $35,000 on behalf of a qualifying individual with a baccalaureate or doctorate pharmacy degree or in the final year of such study for the repayment of pharmacy educational loans for each year (two-year minimum) that such person serves as a faculty member at a school of pharmacy which provides assistance to: (1) medically underserved areas; (2) prisons; (3) veterans or the armed forces; (4) the Indian Health Service; or (5) a disproportionate share hospital under the Social Security Act. States that such payments shall be in addition to regular faculty compensation.
 
Authorizes FY 2004 through 2008 appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-12-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2003-12-08
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2003-12-08
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2003-11-25
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S16054-16057; text of measure as reported to Senate: CR S16054-16057)
action_date: 2003-11-25
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S16054-16057; text of measure as reported to Senate: CR S16054-16057)
action_date: 2003-11-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 370.
action_date: 2003-11-06
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Gregg with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-189.
action_date: 2003-11-06
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Gregg with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-189.
action_date: 2003-06-11
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3896-3897)
action_date: 2003-03-18
text: Introduced in Senate