Veterans Access to Care Act

Bill: 115-s-968
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Introduced: 2017-04-27
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Department of Veterans Affairs

Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Medical education

Student aid and college costs

Veterans' medical care
Latest action: action_date: 2017-04-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-04-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Veterans Access to Care Act</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to automatically designate medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as health professional shortage areas.</p> <p> Individuals may not participate in both the VA's Health Professionals Education Assistance Program and the National Health Service Corps scholarship or loan repayment programs.</p> <p>The Department of Health and Human Services, in carrying out the National Health Service Corps Program, must consult with the VA regarding health professional shortage areas that are VA medical facilities.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 968 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 27, 2017 Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Grassley ) 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 designate certain medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs as health professional shortage areas, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Access to Care Act . 2. Designation of medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs as health professional shortage areas (a) PHSA Section 332(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254e(a)(1) ) is amended in the second sentence by inserting and medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (including State homes, as defined in section 101(19) of title 38, United States Code) after ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa) ), . (b) Concurrent benefits (1) Scholarship program Section 338A(b) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254l(b) ) is amended— (A) in paragraph (3), by striking and ; (B) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) not be participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program under chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code. . (2) Debt reduction program Section 338B(b) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254l–1(b) ) is amended— (A) in paragraph (2), by striking and ; (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (4) not be participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program under chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code. . (c) Consultation In carrying out the National Health Service Corps Program under subpart II of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 254d et seq.), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with respect to health professional shortage areas that are medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (including State homes, as defined in section 101(19) of title 38, United States Code). (d) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.