Rural Health Professional Shortage Act of 1995

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Tax Incentives Regarding Rural Health Care Title II: Public Health Service Programs Regarding Rural Health Care Subtitle A: National Health Service Corps Subtitle B: Other Programs Regarding Rural Health Care Title III: Provisions Relating to the Medicare Program Title IV: Treatment of Student Loans for Health Professionals Rural Health Professional Shortage Act of 1995 - Title I: Tax Incentives Regarding Rural Health Care - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income any payment made on behalf of a taxpayer by the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. (Sec. 102) Permits a deduction for medical education loan interest incurred by health professionals serving in medically underserved rural areas. (Sec. 103) Provides a credit for a qualified primary health services provider providing primary health services full time to an individual residing in a rural health professional shortage area and who: (1) is not receiving a National Health Service Corps Scholarship as a loan repayment under the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program; (2) is not fulfilling service obligations under such Programs; and (3) has not defaulted on such obligations. (Sec. 104) Provides for an increase in the amount which may be expensed as depreciable business assets in the case of rural health care property. Title II: Public Health Service Programs Regarding Rural Health Care - Subtitle A: National Health Service Corps - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add criteria for use in determining health professional shortage areas by including in the criteria the number of individuals paying for health services through Medicare or Medicaid and the number of individuals who have no health insurance, as well as the number of physicians who will accept Medicare and Medicaid patients. (Sec. 202) Requires that at least five percent of appropriations for the National Health Service Corps be used for special loans for former Corps members to enter private practice in health professional shortage areas. (Sec. 211) Provides increased funding for the Scholarship Program and the Loan Repayment Program. (Sec. 212) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give priority in making scholarships to individuals from rural backgrounds who are likely, after their service, to serve in a rural health professional shortage area. (Sec. 221) Establishes the Rural Primary Health Care Fund for the purpose of making loans to assist individuals with the costs of attending professions schools if the individuals agree to provide primary health services in an underserved rural area. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle B: Other Programs Regarding Rural Health Care - Requires a State, in order for the State to receive a grant for an Office of Rural Health, to undertake activities to recruit and train physicians to serve in rural areas. Authorizes appropriations for such Offices. (Sec. 232) Authorizes appropriations for area health education center programs. Title III: Provisions Relating to the Medicare Program - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate, after a specified fiscal year, the geographic adjustment factor from the formula used to determine Medicare payment for physician's services. Increases rural geographic index values so that, by that fiscal year, the values will be the same for all fee schedule areas. Decreases index values for other areas so as to avoid a resulting increase in total payments. (Sec. 302) Amends title XI, Part A (General Provisions) of the Social Security Act to exempt rural hospitals from provisions relating to illegal remunerations, allowing repayment of medical education loans or subsidization of medical practice startup costs. (Sec. 303) Amends Medicare provisions to authorize incentive payments to service providers in health professional shortage areas or if a specified percentage of the provider's patients are: (1) entitled to Medicare or Medicaid (title XIX of the Social Security Act) benefits; or (2) patients for whom the provider received no payment. (Current law authorizes the payments to physicians in health professional shortage areas.) Title IV: Treatment of Student Loans for Health Professionals - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to defer certain student loan repayments for a borrower who is serving in an internship or residency program in a health facility located in a rural area.

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3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 5 January 1995

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 5 January 1995

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 5 January 1995

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