A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend the National Health Service Corps program.

Summary

Authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to reimburse applicants for positions in the National Health Service Corps for actual expenses incurred in traveling to and from their places of residence to an area in which they would be assigned for the purpose of evaluating such area with regard to being assigned in such area. Declares that commissioned officers and other personnel of the Corps assigned to provide health services for medically underserved populations shall not be included in determining whether any limitation on the number of personnel which may be employed by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has been exceeded. Sets forth pay adjustments for physicians and dentists serving in the Corps in medically underserved population areas. Defines the term "medically underserved population" to mean the population of an area having a critical health manpower shortage, as determined by the Secretary. Includes Guam, American Samoa, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands as "States" under the Act. Directs the Secretary to take specified factors into consideration in designating medically underserved populations. Directs the Secretary to require as a condition for the approval of an application for medical personnel under the Act that the applicant enter into an agreement which provides that: (1) the applicant shall be responsible for charging for health services by the Corps personnel to be assigned; (2) the applicant shall take action for the collection of payments for such health services; and (3) the applicant shall pay to the United States specified calculated amounts. Provides that Corps personnel shall be assigned on the basis of the extent of the population's need for health services and without regard to the ability of members of the population to pay for health services. Directs the Secretary, in making an assignment, to seek to match characteristics of the assignee and of the population in order to increase the likelihood of the assignee remaining to serve the population upon completion of his assignment period. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) provide technical assistance to all medically underserved populations to which are not assigned Corps personnel; (2) make arrangements to enable Corps personnel to utilize the health facilities of the areas in which the population resides; and (3) make grants, with specified limitations, for purposes of providing health services. Establishes the National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps to consult with, advise, and make recommendations to, the Secretary with respect to his responsibilities in carrying out this Act, and to review regulations promulgated by the Secretary. Sets forth membership, terms of office, and rates of pay and allowances for such council. Authorizes to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1976 for the Corps.

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Documents

2 official files

• Reported to House with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 10 April 1975

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 4 March 1975

  Open at official source

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