[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1686 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1686

   To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide loan repayment 
      incentives for physician assistants, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2019

   Ms. Bass introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide loan repayment 
      incentives for physician assistants, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Physician Assistant Education Public 
Health Initiatives Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICIAN 
              ASSISTANTS.

    The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section 
749A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 293l-1) the following:

``SEC. 749A-1. EXPANDING CLINICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall award grants 
to physician assistant education programs to establish or expand 
clinical education and training for physician assistants at underserved 
sites including Federally qualified health centers, critical access 
hospitals, and rural health clinics.
    ``(b) Allocation for Rural Sites.--Of the amount made available to 
carry out this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate 
50 percent of such amount for clinical education and training at 
underserved sites that are located in rural areas.
    ``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall give priority to physician assistant education programs 
proposing to establish or expand clinical rotations for physician 
assistants in pediatrics, women's health, or behavioral health.
    ``(d) Reporting to Congress.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) not later than March 1, 2022, submit an interim 
        report to the Congress on the implementation of this section; 
        and
            ``(2) not later than March 1, 2025, submit a final report 
        to the Congress on such implementation.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2020 through 2024.''.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF PRIMARY CARE TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENT 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 747(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k(c)) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``2014'' the 
        following: ``and each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Fifteen'' and inserting 
        ``At least 15''.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH ON PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
provide grants to eligible entities to fund eligible researchers to 
increase research on physician assistant education.
    (b) Application.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
    (c) Condition of Receipt.--As a condition of receipt of a grant 
under this section, an entity shall each year award not fewer than 
eight eligible researchers funds to support physician assistant 
education research.
    (d) Report Requirement.--An entity receiving a grant under this 
section shall provide to the Secretary with respect to each year that 
such entity receives funds under this section a report on the 
activities conducted using such funds, including--
            (1) the number of researchers supported during such year by 
        such entity using such funds;
            (2) a list of the researchers counted under paragraph (1), 
        organized by researcher, including--
                    (A) the institution such researcher is affiliated 
                with; and
                    (B) the research topic of such researcher;
            (3) citations to published clinical and scientific research 
        by researchers described in paragraph (1) that is attributable 
        to support under this section;
            (4) an evaluation of the benefits of grants under this 
        section; and
            (5) any other information the Secretary may request.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
        organization that--
                    (A) is a non-profit organization; and
                    (B) has demonstrated expertise in physician 
                assistant education and faculty development.
            (2) Eligible researcher.--The term ``eligible researcher'' 
        means, with respect to an eligible entity, a researcher that--
                    (A) has demonstrated expertise in physician 
                assistant education and faculty development; and
                    (B) at such time and in such manner as such entity 
                may require, provides such entity with a research 
                proposal on improving physician assistant education and 
                faculty development.
            (3) Physician assistant education.--The term ``physician 
        assistant education'' means selecting, educating, and 
        graduating students in accredited graduate physician assistant 
        educational programs.
            (4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
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