National Health Service Corps Amendment

Summary

National Health Service Corps Amendment - Establishes, within the Public Health Service, the National Health Service Corps to improve the delivery of health services to medically underserved populations. Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to designate the medically underserved populations in the States. Defines the term "medically underserved population" and enumerates the factors to be taken into account in making such designations, including: (1) ratios of available health manpower to the population; (2) indicators of the population's access to health services; and (3) indicators of health status and need of the population. Empowers the Secretary to assign Corps personnel to State health agencies, private health entities, local governments, and medical, dental or other appropriate health societies. Enumerates the requirements to be met prior to the making of any such assignments and for the continuing of expired assignments. 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 the 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. States that the Secretary shall require as a condition to the approval of an application that the entity enter into an appropriate arrangement with the Secretary under which: (1) the entity shall be responsible for charging for health services by the Corps personnel to be assigned; (2) the entity shall take action for the collection of payments for such health services; and (3) the entity shall pay to the United States specified, calculated amounts. Directs the Secretary to conduct, at schools of the health professions and allied health professions, recruiting programs for the Corps. Provides for the Secretary to adjust the monthly rate of pay of each physician and dentist member of the Corps who is directly engaged in the delivery of health services to a medically underserved population. Requires the Secretary to report annually to the Congress and specifies the content of such reports. 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 and approve regulations promulgated by the Secretary. Authorizes to carry out the provisions relating to the National Health Service Corps to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1974; $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1975; $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1976; and $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1977. Requires the Secretary to: (1) report to Congress the criteria used by him in designating medically underserved populations; and the number of populations in each State meeting such criteria; and (2) conduct or contract for studies of methods of assigning National Health Service Crops personnel to medically underserved populations and of providing health care to such populations. Directs the Secretary to establish the Public Health and National Health Service Corps Scholarship Training Program to obtain trained physicians, dentists, nurses, or other health-related specialists for the National Health Service Corps or other units of the Service. Enumerates the eligibility requirements for participation in such program and the regulations governing program members. Provides that, to carry out the program, there is authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1974; $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1975; $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1976; and $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1977.

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 13 March 1974

  Open at official source

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