Short title

This Act may be cited as the

National Health Services Corps and Loan Repayment Programs Renewal Act of 2007

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The National Health Service Corps is a vital resource for underserved communities experiencing shortages of health professionals. (2)For over 35 years, National Health Service Corps clinicians have expanded access to primary and preventive health care, dental care, mental health, and behavioral health services in underserved areas of the United States and have improved health outcomes among underserved populations. (3)The National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program provides a predictable supply of clinicians who will pursue employment in primary care for underserved communities. Upon completion of their training, National Health Service Corps scholars become salaried employees of organized systems of care in such underserved communities. (4)The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program helps communities meet their immediate needs for health professionals by offering to pay off qualifying educational loans in exchange for 2 years of service in an underserved community. (5)A recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that community health centers are facing 13 percent vacancies for family physician positions and 20.8 percent vacancies for OB–GYN positions. The study cited heavy reliance on the National Health Service Corps and recommended expanding the program in order to address those needs. (6)Critical to the growth of new and existing health centers is having a sufficient supply of primary care health professionals to staff them. Currently, health centers rely on the National Health Service Corps for over 20 percent of their physician workforce. Yet, just over half of all Corps placements are made to health centers, even though they are one of the strongest cords in the health care safety net. (7)Health facilities in rural areas, including community health centers and rural health clinics, face primary care vacancy rates higher than the national average, and are more heavily reliant on the National Health Service Corps to address those needs. (8)The number of new medical residents choosing a primary care discipline as a medical specialty is declining, and the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program and the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program provide an important incentive for students to choose to pursue a career in primary care.

National Health Service Corps

(a)

Funding

To carry out the programs authorized under sections 331 through 338G of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254d–254p), there are authorized to be appropriated, and there are appropriated— (1)for fiscal year 2008, $131,500,000; (2)for fiscal year 2009, $175,000,000; (3)for fiscal year 2010, $200,000,000; (4)for fiscal year 2011, $225,000,000; and (5)for fiscal year 2012, $250,000,000. (b)

Assignment of Personnel

(1)

In general

Section 333(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f(a)(3)) is amended to read as follows:

(3)(A)In approving applications for assignment of members of the Corps, the Secretary shall not discriminate against applications from entities that are not receiving Federal financial assistance under this Act. (B)In approving the applications described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall— (i)give preference to applications in which a nonprofit entity or public entity shall provide a site to which Corps members may be assigned; and (ii)give the highest preference to applications— (I)for entities described in clause (i) that are federally-qualified health centers as defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(l)(2)(B)); (II)or entities described in clause (i) that are rural health clinics; and (III)for entities described in clause (i) that primarily serve health disparity populations or medically underserved populations.

(2)

Priorities in assignment of Corps personnel

Section 333A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f–1) is amended— (A)in subsection (a)— (i)by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively; and (ii)by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the following:

(1)give preference to applications as set forth in subsection (a)(3) of such section;

; and

(B)by striking subsection (a)(1) each place such appears and inserting subsection (a)(2). (3)

Conforming amendment

Section 338I(c)(3)(B)(ii) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254q–1(c)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended by striking section 333A(a)(1) and inserting section 333A(a)(2). (c)

Elimination of 6-year demonstration requirement

Section 332(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e(a)(1)) is amended by striking “Not earlier than 6 years” and all that follows through “purposes of this section”.