H.R. 5224 — Introduced in House

I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5224 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 28, 2014 Mr. McDermott introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a scholarship program to increase the availability of physicians who provide primary health care services at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Restoring the Doctors of Our Country through Scholarships Veterans Affairs Act of 2014 or the RDOCS–VA Act of 2014. 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs are in dire need of more physicians, with a particular need for doctors trained in primary care specialties. (2) The Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program established by chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, provides educational assistance through scholarships and loan forgiveness for a range of health professionals, however, it does not specifically encourage a commitment to primary care by physicians employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (3) The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) model of education and training is a respected and effective way of meeting the need of the United States for educated and trained officers in the Armed Forces, and it can be applied to train and educate physicians to provide primary care services. (4) Congress can build off of the Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program and the ROTC model to solve the primary care shortage by providing full-tuition scholarships to students committed to serving the United States as primary care doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs. 3. Establishment of Restoring the Doctors of Our Country through Scholarships—Veterans Affairs program (a) In general Chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter: VIII Restoring the Doctors of Our Country through Scholarships—Veterans Affairs 7691. Authority for program As part of the Educational Assistance Program, the Secretary shall carry out a scholarship program under this subchapter in order to provide for the increased availability of physicians who provide primary health care services at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program shall be known as the Restoring the Doctors of Our Country through Scholarships–Veterans Affairs program (in this subchapter referred to as the RDOCS–VA program). 7692. Scholarship program (a) In general In carrying out the RDOCS–VA program, the Secretary shall award not less than 400 RDOCS–VA scholarships to individuals who are selected by the Secretary and enter into an agreement under subsection (b). Under such scholarships, the Secretary shall pay— (1) to the participating undergraduate medical program all tuition and costs for the undergraduate medical education of an RDOCS–VA scholar for a period of study not exceeding 48 consecutive months; and (2) to the RDOCS–VA scholar a cost-of-living stipend, in an amount determined by the Secretary. (b) Agreement To participate in the RDOCS–VA program, an RDOCS–VA scholar shall agree to— (1) be admitted into and maintain enrollment in a participating undergraduate medical program in the State of residence of the scholar (or if such State of residence operates no such program, in a participating undergraduate medical program in a State within an associated region); (2) when enrolled in such program, maintain a minimum level of academic standing (to be determined by the Secretary); (3) complete an accredited residency training program in a primary care specialty; (4) become licensed to practice medicine in the State of residence of the scholar; (5) receive and maintain board certification in a primary care specialty; and (6) complete a five-year post-graduate period of employment by the Department of Veterans Affairs performing primary care services. (c) Priority in awarding scholarships In selecting RDOCS–VA scholars and awarding scholarships under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to applicants who— (1) are enrolled in an accelerated track family-medicine program; or (2) elect to complete the period of employment described in subsection (b)(6) at a facility of the Department that the Secretary designates as having an urgent need for primary care physicians. (d) Ineligibility for Other Educational Assistance An RDOCS–VA scholar shall not be eligible for other assistance under this chapter in connection with the education received under the RDOCS–VA program. 7693. Breach of agreement: liability (a) In general An RDOCS–VA scholar (other than a scholar described in subsection (b)) who fails to accept payment, or instructs the participating undergraduate medical program in which the scholar is enrolled not to accept payment, in whole or in part, of a scholarship under the agreement entered into under section 7692(b) of this title shall be liable to the United States for liquidated damages in the amount of $1,500. Such liability is in addition to any period of obligated service or other obligation or liability under the agreement. (b) Liability (1) An RDOCS–VA scholar shall be liable to the United States for the amount which has been paid to or on behalf of the scholar under the agreement entered into under section 7692(b) of this title if any of the following occurs: (A) The scholar fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing described in paragraph (2) of such section 7692(b). (B) The scholar is dismissed from the participating undergraduate medical program for disciplinary reasons. (C) The scholar voluntarily terminates the course of training in such program before the completion of such program. (D) The scholar fails to become licensed to practice medicine in the State of residence of the scholar during a period of time determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. (2) Liability under this subsection is in lieu of any service obligation arising under the agreement of the RDOCS–VA scholar. (c) Recovery (1) If an RDOCS–VA officer breaches the agreement by failing (for any reason) to complete the period of obligated service of the officer, the United States shall be entitled to recover from the officer an amount determined in accordance with the formula described in section 7617(c)(1) of this title. (2) Any amount of damages which the United States is entitled to recover under this section shall be paid to the United States within the one-year period beginning on the date of the breach of the agreement. 7694. Reports The Secretary shall annually submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the physician workforce of the Department. Such report shall include— (1) the number of scholarships awarded under this subchapter during the year covered by the report; (2) data on the physician shortage of the Department, if any, disaggregated by the medical facility of the Department; and (3) a gap analysis of the primary care practitioners needed in each medical facility of the Department, and a five- and ten-year estimates of the funding needed to close the gap through the RDOCS–VA program. 7695. Definitions In this subchapter: (1) The term accelerated track family-medicine program means an appropriately accredited, integrated course of study in which a candidate can complete undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education in six years. (2) The term associated region means— (A) the area encompassing the boundaries of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho; (B) the area encompassing the boundaries of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Vermont; (C) the area encompassing the boundaries of Delaware and Pennsylvania; or (D) the area encompassing the boundaries of Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. (3) The term board certification means a certification to practice medicine in a specialty, by an appropriate medical specialty board. (4) The term participating undergraduate medical program means an allopathic or osteopathic undergraduate medical program operated by a State. (5) The term primary care specialty means geriatrics, gerontology, family medicine, or general internal medicine. (6) The term RDOCS–VA officer means an RDOCS–VA program participant who has completed undergraduate medical training, but has not yet fulfilled the remaining requirements of the scholarship agreement entered into under section 7692(b) of this title. (7) The term RDOCS–VA scholar means an individual participating in an RDOCS–VA program pursuant to a scholarship agreement entered into under section 7692(b) of this title, but has not yet completed undergraduate medical education. (8) State The term State means each of the several States and the District of Columbia. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 7684 the following new items: Subchapter VIII—Restoring the Doctors of Our Country through Scholarships—Veterans Affairs 7691. Authority for program. 7692. Scholarship program. 7693. Breach of agreement: liability. 7694. Reports. 7695. Definitions. .