HR 3098 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Public Health Service Act to attract and retain trained health care professionals and direct care workers dedicated to providing quality care to the growing population of older Americans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

June 26, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Public Health Service Act to attract and retain trained health care professionals and direct care workers dedicated to providing quality care to the growing population of older Americans.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Caring for an Aging America Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. GERIATRIC AND GERONTOLOGY LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘Subpart 3--Strengthening Recruitment and Retention for Geriatric Care Practice

‘SEC. 771. GERIATRIC AND GERONTOLOGY LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

‘(a) Establishment- The Secretary shall establish a Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program within the Health Resources and Services Administration to ensure an adequate supply of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, pharmacists, psychologists, and social workers trained in geriatrics or gerontology and to reduce critical workforce shortages in geriatric care practice.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Contracts- Under the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall enter into contracts with individuals described in subsection (d) under which the individuals agree to provide full-time clinical practice and service to older adults for a minimum of 2 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Payment for Years of Service- In consideration of the Federal Government agreeing to pay, for each year of service under a contract under this section, not more than $35,000 of the principal and interest of the educational loans of the individual involved for each of the first 2 years of service, the individual shall carry out activities in accordance with subsection (d)(4). For subsequent years, loan repayments of up to $40,000 per year for a third or fourth year of service may be made available.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Eligible Individuals- An individual described in this subsection is an individual--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) is a physician, including an osteopathic physician, who has completed specialty training in geriatric medicine or geriatric psychiatry;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) is a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist who has completed specialty training in geriatrics or gerontology;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) is a pharmacist who has completed specialty training in geriatrics;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) is a social worker who has completed specialty training in gerontology;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) is a physician assistant who has completed specialty training in geriatrics;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) is a psychologist who has completed specialty training in gerontology; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(G) otherwise--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) has a degree in medicine, pharmacy, osteopathic medicine, clinical or counseling psychology (doctoral degree program), social work (master’s or doctoral degree program), or who is a certified nurse practitioner, certified clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) is enrolled in, or has successfully completed, an accredited program of specialty training in geriatric medicine, geriatric psychiatry, geriatric pharmacotherapy, geropsychology, gerontological social work, gerontological nursing, or equivalent geriatric care practice (as determined by the Secretary);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) who has obtained an educational loan for costs associated with graduate training in medicine, pharmacy, psychology, or social work, or costs associated with becoming a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) who is appropriately licensed, without restriction (as determined by the Secretary), in the State in which the individual practices;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) who agrees to provide clinical services to older adults for a period of not less than 2 years in a setting determined appropriate by the Secretary; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) has demonstrated the capability through education or training to work with frail older adults and older adults with disabilities, including individuals with dementia, urinary incontinence, and problems with balance or mobility, and raising awareness of medication issues for older adults.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Applicability of Certain Provisions- With respect to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established in subpart III of part D of title III of this Act, the provisions of such subpart shall, except as inconsistent with this section, apply to the program established in this section in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) National Advisory Council on the Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary shall establish a National Advisory Council on the Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program (referred to in this section as the ‘Council’) that shall be composed of not to exceed 11 members to be appointed by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) DUTIES- The Council shall consult with, advise, and make recommendations to the Secretary with respect to the Secretary’s administration of the program established under subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS- Members of the Council shall be appointed for a term of 3 years and shall be representative of the health professions, and professional associations, that are eligible to enter into agreements under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Reports- Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the program established under this section (including the number and amount of loan repayments, the number and practice locations of the loan repayment recipients, the demographics of the individuals participating in the program, the default rate and actions required upon default, and to the extent that it can be determined, the reasons for such defaults);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) how the program interacts with other Federal loan repayment programs for primary health care professionals; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) the overall costs and benefits of the program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(h) Definition- In this section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) GERIATRICS- The term ‘geriatrics’ means the branch of medicine that deals with the problems and diseases of older adults and aging, including chronic conditions and geriatric syndromes such as dementia, delirium, urinary incontinence, osteoporosis, falls or gait disorders, or sleep disorders.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) GERONTOLOGY- The term ‘gerontology’ means the multidisciplinary study of the aging process and individuals as they grow from middle age through later life. Such term encompasses the social, cognitive, psychological, biological and economic aspects of aging.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) SPECIALTY TRAINING- The term ‘specialty training’ means coursework in geriatrics and gerontology and clinical training, including internships, residency programs, or fellowships, in a geriatric setting.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $9,500,000 for fiscal year 2011, $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, $24,000,000 for fiscal year 2013, and $30,500,000 for fiscal year 2014.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF NURSING EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Section 846 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 297n) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by inserting after subsection (h), the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) Geriatric Care Practice in Long-term Care Settings-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) LOAN REPAYMENTS- In providing for loan repayments under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that eligible individuals include registered nurses who complete specialty training in geriatrics or gerontology and who elect to provide nursing services to older adults in home and community-based or facility-based long-term care settings, or any other program determined appropriate by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) DEFINITION- In this subsection, the term ‘specialty training’ means coursework in geriatrics and gerontology and clinical training, including internships or fellowships, in a geriatric setting.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2010, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2013, and $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2014.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF CAREER LADDER PROGRAMS.

Section 831 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in subsection (c)(1)(A)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking ‘to promote career’ and inserting the following: ‘to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) promote career’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) focus on specialty training in providing long-term care services for nursing personnel (including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses, certified nurse assistants, home health aides, personal care attendants, or any other related worker category designated by the Secretary) who provide services in home and community-based or facility-based long-term care settings; and’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in subsection (h), by adding at the end the following: ‘There is authorized to be appropriated for grants under subsection (c)(1)(A)(ii), $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2013, and $3,500,000 for fiscal year 2014.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. HEALTH AND LONG-TERM CARE WORKFORCE ADVISORY PANEL FOR AN AGING AMERICA.

Subpart 3 of part E of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (as added by section 2) is further amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 772. HEALTH AND LONG-TERM CARE WORKFORCE ADVISORY PANEL FOR AN AGING AMERICA.

‘(a) Establishment- The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, shall establish a Health and Long-Term Care Workforce Advisory Panel (referred to in this section as the ‘Panel’) to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) examine workforce issues related to health and long-term care for the aging population; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) provide advice to each such Secretary and to the appropriate committees of Congress concerning workforce issues related to health and long-term care for the aging population.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Membership- The Panel shall be composed of not to exceed 20 individuals to be appointed by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Duties- The Panel shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) analyze the existing geriatric health and long-term care workforce data infrastructure;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) make recommendations for new or additional uniform data elements across regions and States that is necessary to track supply, demand, and workforce shortages related to health and long-term care for the aging population;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) conduct a research project to identify incentives for recruitment and retention of new populations of clinicians and providers who agree to serve vulnerable older adults in geriatric and long-term care settings and make recommendations for one or more demonstrations, including the design, implementation and evaluation of outcomes; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) carry out other activities determined appropriate by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Focus of Research Project- In carrying out the research project under subsection (c)(3), the Secretary in consultation with the Panel shall focus on individuals who are not otherwise eligible for loan repayment incentives under this title or title VIII, such as retired military clinicians or other retired health professionals, health care professionals seeking a mid-career change, and direct care workers in long-term care settings. To carry out such research project, the Secretary may award grants or contracts. Eligible entities shall include State or local government, health professions schools, academic health centers, and other appropriate public or private non-profit entities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Administrative Provisions- Members of the Panel shall be appointed for a term of not to exceed 3 years (as determined by the Secretary at the time of appointment), shall convene at least twice per year, and shall be representative of diverse public and private sector expertise and interests, including representation from the Department of Health and Human Services (including the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Administration on Aging), the Department of Labor (including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment and Training Administration, and the Employment Standards Administration), other Federal officials as the Secretary determines appropriate, academic institutions, consumer organizations, national aging advocates, health professional and paraprofessional associations, organized labor, nationally recognized researchers in the area of geriatric care and long-term care workforce issues, health care and long-term care associations (including those representing home and community-based and facility-based settings), and private foundations that have sponsored initiatives to expand health professionals to care for the aging population.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Reports- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary, based on the advice and recommendations of the Panel, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the status of the health professions and long-term care workforce for the aging population.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2014.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink