An act to amend the Public Health Service Act to distribute maternity care health professionals to health professional shortage areas identified as in need of maternity care health services
PL 115-320 (H.R.315), enacted 12/17/2018

132 STAT. 4437 
PUBLIC LAW 115–320—DEC. 17, 2018 
Public Law 115–320 
115th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to distribute maternity care health profes-
sionals to health professional shortage areas identified as in need of maternity 
care health services. 
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 ‘‘Improving Access to Maternity 
Care Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MATERNITY CARE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TARGET AREAS. 
Section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(k)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the 
Health Resources and Services Administration, shall identify, based 
on the data collected under paragraph (3), maternity care health 
professional target areas that satisfy the criteria described in para-
graph (2) for purposes of, in connection with receipt of assistance 
under this title, assigning to such identified areas maternity care 
health professionals who, without application of this subsection, 
would otherwise be eligible for such assistance. The Secretary shall 
distribute maternity care health professionals within health profes-
sional shortage areas using the maternity care health professional 
target areas so identified. 
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish 
criteria for maternity care health professional target areas that 
identify geographic areas within health professional shortage areas 
that have a shortage of maternity care health professionals. 
‘‘(3) For purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall collect 
and publish in the Federal Register data comparing the availability 
and need of maternity care health services in health professional 
shortage areas and in areas within such health professional short-
age areas. 
‘‘(4) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall seek 
input from relevant provider organizations, including medical soci-
eties, organizations representing medical facilities, and other 
organizations with expertise in maternity care. 
‘‘(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘full scope mater-
nity care health services’ includes during labor care, birthing, pre-
natal care, and postpartum care. 
‘‘(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as— 
‘‘(A) requiring the identification of a maternity care health 
professional target area in an area not otherwise already des-
ignated as a health professional shortage area; or 
Definition. 
Federal Register, 
publication. 
Criteria. 
Improving Access 
to Maternity 
Care Act. 
42 USC 201 note. 
Dec. 17, 2018 
[H.R. 315] 
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132 STAT. 4438 
PUBLIC LAW 115–320—DEC. 17, 2018 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 315: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 163 (2017): Jan. 9, considered and passed House. 
Vol. 164 (2018): Dec. 6, considered and passed Senate. 
‘‘(B) affecting the types of health professionals, without 
application of this subsection, otherwise eligible for assistance, 
including a loan repayment or scholarship, pursuant to the 
application of this section.’’. 
Approved December 17, 2018. 
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