II 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1206 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 8, 2009 Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Casey) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To establish and carry out a pediatric specialty loan repayment program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Pediatric Workforce Investment Act.

2.

Investment in Tomorrow’s Pediatric Specialty Workforce

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary), acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall establish and carry out a pediatric specialty loan repayment program under which the eligible individual agrees to be employed full-time for a specified period (which shall not be less than 2 years) in providing pediatric medical subspecialty, surgical specialty, or psychiatric subspecialty care. (b)

Program administration

Through the program established under this section, the Secretary shall enter into contracts with qualified health professionals under which— (1)such qualified health professionals will agree to provide pediatric medical subspecialty, surgical specialty, or psychiatric subspecialty care in an area with a shortage of the specified pediatric subspecialty that has a sufficient pediatric population to support such pediatric subspecialty, as determined by the Secretary, and (2)the Secretary agrees to make payments on the principal and interest of undergraduate or graduate medical education loans of professionals described in paragraph (1) of not more than $35,000 a year for each year of agreed upon service under such paragraph for a period of not more than 3 years during the qualified health professional’s— (A)participation in an accredited pediatric medical subspecialty, surgical specialty, or psychiatry subspecialty residency or fellowship; or (B)employment as a pediatric medical subspecialist, surgical specialist, or psychiatric subspecialist serving an area or population described in such paragraph. (c)

Qualified health professional

For purposes of this section, the term qualified health professional means a licensed physician who— (1)is entering or receiving training in an accredited pediatric medical subspecialty or pediatric surgical specialty residency or fellowship, or (2)has completed (but not prior to the end of the calendar year in which this Act is enacted) the training described in paragraph (1). (d)

Additional eligibility requirement

The Secretary may not enter into a contract under this section with a qualified health professional unless the individual is a United States citizen or a permanent legal United States resident. (e)

Determination of shortage areas

For purposes of this section, an area shall be determined to be an area with a shortage of a specified pediatric subspecialty based on— (1)waiting times for patient care; (2)recruitment for unfilled positions; or (3)the ratio of the number of children who reside in the area who are in need of such pediatric subspecialty care to the number of pediatric subspecialists furnishing such services within 100 miles of the area. (f)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.