II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3022 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 4, 2023 Ms. Cortez Masto (for herself and Mr. Mullin ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to allow Indian Health Service scholarship and loan recipients to fulfill service obligations through half-time clinical practice, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2023 . 2. Indian Health Service scholarship and loan recipients (a) Indian health professions scholarships Section 104(b)(3) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act ( 25 U.S.C. 1613a(b)(3) ) is amended by striking the paragraph designation and all that follows through the end of subparagraph (A) and inserting the following: (3) (A) The active duty service obligation under a written contract with the Secretary under section 338A of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254l ) that an individual has entered into under that section shall, if that individual is a recipient of an Indian Health Scholarship— (i) be met by full-time (as defined in section 331(j) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d(j) )) practice— (I) in the Service; (II) in a program conducted under a contract entered into under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq. ); (III) in a program assisted under title V; or (IV) in the private practice of the applicable profession if, as determined by the Secretary, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Secretary, the practice— (aa) is situated in a physician or other health professional shortage area; and (bb) addresses the health care needs of a substantial number of Indians; or (ii) be met by half-time (as defined in section 331(j) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d(j) )) practice in a program described in any of subclauses (I) through (IV) of clause (i) if the individual agrees, in writing— (I) to double the period of obligated service that would otherwise be required; or (II) accept a minimum service obligation of 2 years with an award amount equal to 50 percent of the amount that would otherwise be payable for full-time (as so defined) service. . (b) Indian Health Service loan repayment program Section 108(f)(1)(B) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act ( 25 U.S.C. 1616a(f)(1)(B) ) is amended by striking clause (iii) and inserting the following: (iii) to serve for a period of time (referred to in this section as the period of obligated service ) equal to— (I) 2 years, or a longer period of time as the individual may agree to serve, in the full-time (as defined in section 331(j) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d(j) )) clinical practice of the profession of the individual in an Indian health program to which the individual may be assigned by the Secretary; or (II) (aa) 4 years, or a longer period of time as the individual may agree to serve, in the half-time (as defined in that section) clinical practice of the profession of the individual in an Indian health program to which the individual may be assigned by the Secretary; or (bb) not less than 2 years in the half-time (as so defined) clinical practice of the profession of the individual in an Indian health program to which the individual may be assigned by the Secretary with a loan payment amount equal to 50 percent of the amount that would otherwise be payable for full-time (as so defined) service; .