To authorize a 3-year demonstration program to recruit and train physicians to serve in rural settings.

November 17, 2003

Mr. CRAIG (for himself, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. ENZI, Mr. BURNS, and Mr. BAUCUS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

To authorize a 3-year demonstration program to recruit and train physicians to serve in rural settings.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Rural Health Training Incentive Act'.

SEC. 2. WWAMI DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

(a) GRANT AUTHORIZED-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the `Secretary') is authorized to award a grant to the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho joint medical school (in this section referred to as `WWAMI') to strengthen and expand programs to encourage more health professionals to practice in rural areas.

(2) DURATION- The Secretary shall award the grant described in paragraph (1) for a period of 3 years.

(b) USE OF FUNDS- The grant awarded pursuant to subsection (a) may be used for activities including--

(1) developing new mechanisms for recruiting and mentoring rural youth with respect to all health professions;

(2) strengthening and stabilizing the system of training for the family physicians needed in rural areas; and

(3) expanding the network of rural training tracks throughout WWAMI.

(c) EVALUATION AND REPORT-

(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 6 months after the end of the grant period described in subsection (a)(2), WWAMI shall--

(A) evaluate the results of the programs assisted under this section; and

(B) submit to the Secretary a report regarding such evaluation.

(2) EVALUATION-

(A) CONTRACT- The evaluation described in paragraph (1) shall be carried out through a contract with an entity having experience with assessing workforce issues in the region of the WWAMI.

(B) MATTERS EVALUATED- The evaluation shall--

(i) assess the effectiveness of the funds made available under this section in attracting, placing, and retaining physicians in rural communities;

(ii) include an assessment of baseline rural primary care provider availability, track participants in the programs assisted under this section, and quantify the outcome impact of the funds made available under this section;

(iii) address the multiyear grant period; and

(iv) use existing data bases, a tracking registry, focus groups, and periodic surveys to assess the effectiveness of the programs; and

(v) address whether the programs should be expanded under section 3.

(3) REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS- The report described in paragraph (1) shall include recommendations regarding--

(A) the effectiveness of the programs assisted under this section; and

(B) project expansion under section 3.

SEC. 3. PROJECT EXPANSION.

(a) IN GENERAL- After submission of the report required under section 2(c), the Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities to expand the programs assisted under section 2, and to implement the recommendations made in such report, in other geographic areas.

(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED- As used in this section, the term `eligible entity' means a partnership between--

(1) a regional university or college; and

(2) the medical school associated with such university or college that has a rural area training track of at least 2 months.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsections (a) and (b) of section 2, $3,400,000 for fiscal year 2005, $4,100,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $4,800,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(b) REPORT AND EVALUATION- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (c) of section 2, $100,000 for fiscal year 2005, $100,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $300,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(c) PROJECT EXPANSION- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 3, such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007 and each succeeding fiscal year.

END