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I
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 6979
To amend the Public Health Service Act to designate certain medical facilities
of the Department of Veterans Affairs as health professional shortage
areas, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 22, 2020
Mr. KIND (for himself and Mr. GALLAGHER) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to designate certain
medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs
as health professional shortage areas, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Access to
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Care Act’’.
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•HR 6979 IH
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE DE-
1
PARTMENT
OF
VETERANS
AFFAIRS
AS
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HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS.
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(a) PHSA.—Section 332(a)(1) of the Public Health
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Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e(a)(1)) is amended in the sec-
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ond sentence by inserting ‘‘and medical facilities of the
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Department of Veterans Affairs (including State homes,
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as defined in section 101(19) of title 38, United States
8
Code)’’ after ‘‘(42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)),’’.
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(b) CONCURRENT BENEFITS.—
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(1) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—Section 338A(b)
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of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l(b))
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is amended—
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(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’;
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(B) in paragraph (4), by striking the pe-
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riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
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(C) by adding at the end the following new
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paragraph:
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‘‘(5) not be participating in the Department of
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Veterans Affairs Health Professionals Educational
20
Assistance Program under chapter 76 of title 38,
21
United States Code.’’.
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(2)
DEBT
REDUCTION
PROGRAM.—Section
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338B(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42
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U.S.C. 254l–1(b)) is amended—
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(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’;
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•HR 6979 IH
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the pe-
1
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
2
(C) by adding at the end the following new
3
paragraph:
4
‘‘(4) not be participating in the Department of
5
Veterans Affairs Health Professionals Educational
6
Assistance Program under chapter 76 of title 38,
7
United States Code.’’.
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(c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the National
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Health Service Corps Program under subpart II of part
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D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
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254d et seq.), the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
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ices shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
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with respect to health professional shortage areas that are
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medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs
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(including State homes, as defined in section 101(19) of
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title 38, United States Code).
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(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
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this section shall take effect on the date that is 90 days
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after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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Æ
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