HR 6400 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

2d SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

H. R. 6400CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to States for the purpose of assisting the States in operating an RDOCS program in order to provide for the increased availability of primary health care services in health professional shortage areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

September 13, 2012CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. MCDERMOTT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to States for the purpose of assisting the States in operating an RDOCS program in order to provide for the increased availability of primary health care services in health professional shortage areas.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 ‘Restoring the Doctors of Our Country through Scholarships Act of 2012’ or the ‘RDOCS Act of 2012’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Due to an aging population, the retirement of a generation of physicians, and 30,000,000 newly insured under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 110-148), the United States is expected to experience an acute physician workforce shortage in the coming decades, particularly in primary care. If unaddressed, this shortage will compromise the health of the population as well as the ability of the United States to remain competitive in the world.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) By 2020, the shortage of primary care doctors is expected to reach 45,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) The shortage will disproportionately impact rural communities and underserved urban communities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) model of education and training is a respected and effective way of meeting the Nation’s need for educated and trained officers in the United States Armed Forces, and can be applied to solving the Nation’s primary care shortage.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) There are 10 applicants for each National Health Service Corps scholarship awarded, indicating the unmet demand for medical scholarships.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES FOR RESTORING THE DOCTORS OF OUR COUNTRY THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS (RDOCS) PROGRAMS.

Subpart III of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 338N. GRANTS TO STATES FOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS.

‘(a) Grants to States-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall make grants to States for the purpose of assisting the States in operating a program described in paragraph (2) (referred to in this section as an ‘RDOCS program’) in order to provide for the increased availability of primary health care services in health professional shortage areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) APPLICATIONS- To seek a grant under this section, a State shall submit an application in such form, in such manner, and containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Scholarship Program Described- An RDOCS program is a program of entering into contracts between the State involved and an RDOCS scholar under which--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the State involved agrees--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) to pay all tuition and costs for the RDOCS scholar’s undergraduate medical education, to the participating undergraduate medical program, for a period of study not exceeding 48 consecutive months; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) to pay, during such period, a cost-of-living stipend, in an amount to be determined by the Secretary, to the RDOCS scholar; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the RDOCS scholar agrees--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) to be admitted into and maintain enrollment in a participating undergraduate medical program in the RDOCS scholar’s State of residence (or if such State of residence operates no such program, in a participating undergraduate medical program in a State within an associated region);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) when enrolled in such program, to maintain a minimum level (to be determined by the Secretary) of academic standing;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) to complete an accredited residency training program in a primary care specialty;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) to become licensed to practice medicine in the applicant’s State of residence;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) to receive and maintain board certification in a primary care speciality; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) to complete a 5-year post-graduate period of service in a health professional shortage area.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Priority in Awarding Scholarships- In selecting RDOCS scholars and awarding scholarship contracts described in subsection (b), the State involved shall give preference to applicants who are enrolled in--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) an accelerated track family-medicine program; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) a program that includes clinical training in rural or underserved urban communities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Direct Administration by State Agency- The RDOCS program of any State receiving a grant under this section shall be administered directly by a State agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Requirement of Matching Funds-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- Any State receiving a grant under this section shall, with respect to the costs of making payments on behalf of individuals under scholarship contracts described in subsection (b), make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions in cash toward such costs in an amount equal to not less than $1 for each $9 of Federal funds provided through the grant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF NON-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION- In determining the amount of non-Federal contributions in cash that a State has provided pursuant to paragraph (1)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) any amounts provided to the State by the Federal Government shall not be included; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) any amounts expended by the State as administrative funds to operate its RDOCS program may, at the State’s discretion, be included.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Coordination With Federal Program-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ASSIGNMENTS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS UNDER FEDERAL PROGRAM- Any State receiving a grant under this section shall, in carrying out its RDOCS program, assign RDOCS officers participating in the program only to public and nonprofit private entities located in and providing health services in health professional shortage areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) REMEDIES FOR BREACH OF CONTRACTS- The Secretary may not make a grant under subsection (a) unless the State involved agrees that the scholarship contracts provided by the State pursuant to subsection (b) will provide remedies for any breach of the contracts by the RDOCS scholars and RDOCS officers involved.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) LIMITATION REGARDING CONTRACT INDUCEMENTS- Any State receiving a grant under this section shall ensure that contracts between the State and RDOCS scholars under this section do not include any terms more favorable to the RDOCS scholars than the most favorable terms which the Secretary is authorized to provide in contracts under the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program under section 338A, including terms regarding the availability of remedies for any breach of the contracts by the health professionals involved.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Restrictions on Use of Funds- Any State receiving a grant under this section shall not expend the grant funds for any purpose other than making payments on behalf of or to RDOCS scholars under contracts entered into pursuant to this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(h) Reports by States- Any State receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) a report on the State’s RDOCS program not later than January 10 of each fiscal year immediately following any fiscal year for which the State has received such a grant; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) such other reports regarding the State’s RDOCS program, as are determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) Reports by Secretary- The Secretary shall report annually to the relevant committees on the physician workforce in the United States, and shall include in each such report--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) data on the physician shortage, if any, disaggregated by State and region; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) a gap analysis of the primary care practitioners needed in each State and region, and 5- and 10-year estimates of the funding needed to close the gap through the RDOCS program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(j) Noncompliance-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may not make payments under this section to a State for any fiscal year subsequent to the first fiscal year of such payments unless the Secretary determines that, for the immediately preceding fiscal year, the State has complied with each of the agreements made by the State under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) REDUCTION IN GRANT RELATIVE TO NUMBER OF BREACHED CONTRACTS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) DETERMINATION OF NUMBER OF BREACHED CONTRACTS- Before making a grant under this section to a State for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall determine the number of contracts provided pursuant to the State’s RDOCS program with respect to which there has been an initial breach by the RDOCS scholars or officers involved during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the State is applying to receive the grant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) REDUCTION OF GRANTS- Subject to paragraph (3), in the case of a State with 1 or more initial breaches for purposes of subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall reduce the amount of a grant under this section to the State for the fiscal year involved by an amount equal to the sum of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) the expenditures of Federal funds made regarding the contracts involved; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) an amount representing interest on the amount of such expenditures, determined with respect to each contract on the basis of the maximum legal rate prevailing for loans made during the time amounts were paid under the contract, as determined by the Treasurer of the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) WAIVER REGARDING REDUCTION IN GRANT- The Secretary may waive the requirement of paragraph (2)(B) with respect to the initial breach of a contract if the Secretary determines that such breach by the RDOCS scholar or officer involved was attributable solely to the professional having a serious illness.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(k) Definitions- For the purposes of this section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ACCELERATED TRACK FAMILY-MEDICINE PROGRAM- The term ‘accelerated track family-medicine program’ refers to an appropriately accredited, integrated course of study in which a candidate can complete undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education in 6 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) ASSOCIATED REGION- The term ‘associated region’ refers to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the area encompassing the boundaries of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) the area encompassing the boundaries of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) the area encompassing the boundaries of Delaware and Pennsylvania; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) the area encompassing the boundaries of Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) BOARD CERTIFICATION- The term ‘board certification’ means a certification to practice medicine in a specialty, by an appropriate medical specialty board.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA- The term ‘health professional shortage area’ means a health professional shortage area designated under section 332.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) PARTICIPATING UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL PROGRAM- The term ‘participating undergraduate medical program’ means an allopathic or osteopathic undergraduate medical program operated by a State.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) PRIMARY CARE SPECIALTY- The term ‘primary care specialty’ means pediatrics, family medicine, or general internal medicine.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) RDOCS OFFICER- The term ‘RDOCS officer’ means an RDOCS program participant who has completed undergraduate medical training, but has not yet fulfilled the remaining requirements of his or her scholarship contract under subsection (b).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) RDOCS SCHOLAR- The term ‘RDOCS scholar’ means an individual participating in an RDOCS program pursuant to a scholarship contract under subsection (b), who has not yet completed undergraduate medical education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(9) RELEVANT COMMITTEES- The term ‘relevant committees’ means the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(10) STATE- The term ‘State’ means each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(l) Authorization of Appropriations-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- For carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $200,000,000 for each of fiscal year 2013 through 2016.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) AVAILABILITY- Amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink