Health Care Safety Net Amendments Technical Corrections Act of 2003
PL 108-163 (H.R.3038), enacted 12/06/2003

117 STAT. 2020
PUBLIC LAW 108–163—DEC. 6, 2003
Public Law 108–163
108th Congress
An Act
To make certain technical and conforming amendments to correct the Health Care
Safety Net Amendments of 2002.
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 ‘‘Health Care Safety Net Amend-
ments Technical Corrections Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
(a) HEALTH CENTERS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 330 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b) is amended to read as if—
(A) subparagraph (C) of the second paragraph (4) of
section 101 of Public Law 107–251 had not been enacted;
(B) paragraph (7)(C) of such section 101 had not been
enacted; and
(C) paragraphs (8) through (11) of such section 101
had not been enacted.
(2) AMENDMENTS
PER
PUBLIC
LAW
107–251.—Section 330
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b), as amended
by paragraph (1), is amended—
(A) in subsection (c)(1)(B), in the matter preceding
clause (i), by striking ‘‘plan..’’ and inserting ‘‘plan.’’;
(B) in subsection (d)(1)(B)(iii), in subclause (I), by
adding ‘‘or’’ at the end;
(C) by striking subsection (k);
(D) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (k);
(E) by inserting after subsection (i) a subsection that
is identical to the subsection (j) that appears (as an amend-
ment) in section 101(8)(C) of Public Law 107–251;
(F) by redesignating subsection (l) as subsection (r),
by transferring it from its current placement, and by
inserting it after subsection (q);
(G) by inserting before subsection (m) a subsection
that is identical to the subsection that appears (as an
amendment) in section 101(9) of Public Law 107–251, and
by redesignating as subsection (l) the subsection that is
so inserted;
(H) in subsection (l) (as inserted and redesignated by
subparagraph (G) of this paragraph), in the first sentence—
(i) by inserting after ‘‘shall provide’’ the following:
‘‘(either through the Department of Health and Human
Services or by grant or contract)’’; and
42 USC 201 note.
Health Care
Safety Net
Amendments
Technical
Corrections Act
of 2003.
Dec. 6, 2003
[H.R. 3038]
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117 STAT. 2021
PUBLIC LAW 108–163—DEC. 6, 2003
(ii) by striking ‘‘(l)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘(k)(3)’’;
(I) in subsection (p), by striking ‘‘(j)(3)(G)’’ and inserting
‘‘(k)(3)(G)’’; and
(J) in subsection (r) (as redesignated, transferred, and
inserted by subparagraph (F) of this paragraph)—
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$802,124,000’’
and all that follows through the period and inserting
‘‘$1,340,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums
as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2003
through 2006.’’;
(ii) in paragraph (2)(A)—
(I) by striking ‘‘(j)(3))’’ and inserting ‘‘(k)(3))’’;
and
(II) by striking ‘‘(j)(3)(G)(ii)’’ and inserting
‘‘(k)(3)(H)’’; and
(iii) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph
(B) and inserting a subparagraph that is identical to
the subparagraph (B) that appears (as an amendment)
in section 101(11)(B)(ii) of Public Law 107–251.
(b) RURAL HEALTH OUTREACH.—Section 330A(b)(4) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c(b)(4)) is amended by striking
‘‘799B’’ and inserting ‘‘799B(6)’’.
(c) TELEHEALTH.—Section 330I of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–14) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(4), by striking ‘‘799B’’ and inserting
‘‘799B(6)’’; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘Health and Resources
and Services Administration’’ and inserting ‘‘Health Resources
and Services Administration’’.
(d) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES VIA TELEHEALTH.—Section 330K
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–16) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘subsection (a)(4)’’ and
inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(3)’’; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1)—
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘subsection
(a)(4)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(3)(A)’’; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘subsection
(a)(4)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(3)(B)’’.
(e) TELEMEDICINE INCENTIVE GRANTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subpart I of part D of title III of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 
330L. 
TELEMEDICINE; 
INCENTIVE 
GRANTS 
REGARDING
COORDINATION AMONG STATES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants to State
professional licensing boards to carry out programs under which
such licensing boards of various States cooperate to develop and
implement State policies that will reduce statutory and regulatory
barriers to telemedicine.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the purpose of
carrying out subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2002
through 2006.’’.
(2) REPEAL.—Section 102 of the Health Care Safety Net
Amendments of 2002 (Public Law 107–251) is repealed.
(f) HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS.—
42 USC 254c–17.
42 USC 254c–18.
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117 STAT. 2022
PUBLIC LAW 108–163—DEC. 6, 2003
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 332 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254e) is amended—
(A) in subsection (a)(1)—
(i) by striking ‘‘such date of enactment’’ and
inserting ‘‘such date of designation’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘, issued after the date of enactment
of this Act, that revise’’ and inserting ‘‘regarding’’; and
(B) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘330(h)(4)’’ and
inserting ‘‘330(h)(5)’’;
(C) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘designation,.’’ and
inserting ‘‘designation.’’; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(j)(1) The Secretary shall submit the report described in para-
graph (2) if the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of
the Health Resources and Services Administration, issues—
‘‘(A) a regulation that revises the definition of a health
professional shortage area for purposes of this section; or
‘‘(B) a regulation that revises the standards concerning
priority of such an area under section 333A.
‘‘(2) On issuing a regulation described in paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report
that describes the regulation.
‘‘(3) Each regulation described in paragraph (1) shall take effect
180 days after the committees described in paragraph (2) receive
a report referred to in such paragraph describing the regulation.’’.
(2) REPEAL.—Subsection (b) of section 302 of the Health
Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 (Public Law 107–251)
is repealed.
(g) ASSIGNMENT OF CORPS PERSONNEL.—Section 333(a)(1) of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f) is amended by
moving subparagraph (C) so that the margin of subparagraph (C)
is aligned with the margins of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (D).
(h) PRIORITIES IN ASSIGNMENT OF CORPS PERSONNEL.—Section
333A(c)(4) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f–1(c)(4))
is amended by striking ‘‘30 days’’ and inserting ‘‘30 days from
such notification’’.
(i) CHARGES FOR SERVICES.—Section 334(b)(1)(B) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254g(b)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting
‘‘the payment of’’ after ‘‘applied to’’.
(j) NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—
Section 338A(d)(1) (42 U.S.C. 254l(d)(1)) is amended by moving
subparagraph (B) so that the margin of subparagraph (B) is aligned
with the margin of subparagraphs (A) and (C).
(k) NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS LOAN REPAYMENT PRO-
GRAM.—Section 338B(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
254l–1) is amended by striking ‘‘PARTICIPATION.—’’ and all that
follows through ‘‘An individual’’ and inserting ‘‘PARTICIPATION.—
An individual’’.
(l) BREACH OF CONTRACT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 338E of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 254o) is amended—
(A) in subsection (c)(1), by moving subparagraphs (A),
(B), and (C), and the flush matter following subparagraph
(C), 2 ems to the left; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
42 USC 254e
note.
Effective date.
Reports.
Regulations.
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117 STAT. 2023
PUBLIC LAW 108–163—DEC. 6, 2003
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3038:
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 108–275 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
Oct. 1, considered and passed House.
Nov. 20, considered and passed Senate.
‘‘(f) The amendment made by section 313(a)(4) of the Health
Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 (Public Law 107–251) shall
apply to any obligation for which a discharge in bankruptcy has
not been granted before the date that is 31 days after the date
of enactment of such Act.’’.
(2) REPEAL.—Subsection (b) of section 313 of the Health
Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 (Public Law 107–251)
is repealed.
(m) MISCELLANEOUS.—The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
201 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in subsections (g)(1)(G)(ii), (k)(2), and (n)(1)(C) of section
224, and sections 317A(a)(2), 317E(c), and 318A(e), by striking
‘‘330, 330(h)’’ and inserting ‘‘330’’;
(2) in section 1313, by striking ‘‘329, 330, and 330(h)’’
and inserting ‘‘329 and 330’’; and
(3) in section 2652(a)(2), by striking ‘‘section 340’’ and
inserting ‘‘section 330(h)’’.
(n) HEALTH CARE SAFETY NET AMENDMENTS OF 2002.—The
Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 (Public Law 107–
251) is amended—
(1) in section 404(c)(5), by striking ‘‘Health Care Financing
Administration and the Health Research’’ and inserting ‘‘Cen-
ters for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Health
Resources’’; and
(2) in section 501, by striking ‘‘solvency for managed care
networks’’ and inserting ‘‘guarantees of solvency for managed
care networks or plans’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act is deemed to have taken effect immediately after
the enactment of Public Law 107–251.
Approved December 6, 2003.
42 USC 233 note.
42 USC 254b
note.
42 USC 1396a
note.
42 USC 300ff–52.
42 USC 300e–12.
42 USC 233,
247b–1, 247b–6,
247c–1.
42 USC 254o
note.
Applicability.
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