,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ebbd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #bh1 #bjad ,mr4 ,mc,dermott introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 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 ,affairs4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,restoring the ,doctors of ,our ,country through ,scholarships ,veterans ,affairs ,act of #bjad or the ,,rdocs-,,va ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,medical facilities of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs are in dire need of more physicians1 with a particular need for doctors trained in primary care specialties4 7#b7 ,the ,health ,professionals ,educational ,assistance ,program established by chapter #gf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 provides educational assistance through scholarships and loan forgiveness for a range of health professionals1 however1 it does not specifically encourage a commitment to primary care by physicians employed by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 7#c7 ,the ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps 7,,rotc7 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 ,forces1 and it can be applied to train and educate physicians to provide primary care services4 7#d7 ,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 ,affairs4 #c4 ,establishment of ,restoring the ,doctors of ,our ,country through ,scholarships--,veterans ,affairs program 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #gf of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new subchapter3 ,,viii ,restoring the ,doctors of ,our ,country through ,scholarships--,veterans ,affairs #gfia4 ,authority for program ,as part of the ,educational ,assistance ,program1 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 ,affairs4 ,the program shall be known as the ,restoring the ,doctors of ,our ,country through ,scholarships-,veterans ,affairs program 7in this subchapter referred to as the ,,rdocs-,,va program74 #gfib4 ,scholarship program 7a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the ,,rdocs-,,va program1 the ,secretary shall award not less than #djj ,,rdocs-,,va scholarships to individuals who are selected by the ,secretary and enter into an agreement under subsection 7b74 ,under such scholarships1 the ,secretary shall pay-- 7#a7 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 #dh consecutive months2 and 7#b7 to the ,,rdocs-,,va scholar a cost-of-living stipend1 in an amount determined by the ,secretary4 7b7 ,agreement ,to participate in the ,,rdocs-,,va program1 an ,,rdocs-,,va scholar shall agree to-- 7#a7 be admitted into and maintain enrollment in a participating undergraduate medical program in the ,state of residence of the scholar 7or if such ,state of residence operates no such program1 in a participating undergraduate medical program in a ,state within an associated region72 7#b7 when enrolled in such program1 maintain a minimum level of academic standing 7to be determined by the ,secretary72 7#c7 complete an accredited residency training program in a primary care specialty2 7#d7 become licensed to practice medicine in the ,state of residence of the scholar2 7#e7 receive and maintain board certification in a primary care specialty2 and 7#f7 complete a five-year post-graduate period of employment by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs performing primary care services4 7c7 ,priority in awarding scholarships ,in selecting ,,rdocs-,,va scholars and awarding scholarships under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall give preference to applicants who-- 7#a7 are enrolled in an accelerated track family-medicine program2 or 7#b7 elect to complete the period of employment described in subsection 7b77#f7 at a facility of the ,department that the ,secretary designates as having an urgent need for primary care physicians4 7d7 ,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 program4 #gfic4 ,breach of agreement3 liability 7a7 ,in general ,an ,,rdocs-,,va scholar 7other than a scholar described in subsection 7b77 who fails to accept payment1 or instructs the participating undergraduate medical program in which the scholar is enrolled not to accept payment1 in whole or in part1 of a scholarship under the agreement entered into under section #gfib7;b7 of this title shall be liable to the ,united ,states for liquidated damages in the amount of #a1ejj4 ,such liability is in addition to any period of obligated service or other obligation or liability under the agreement4 7b7 ,liability 7#a7 ,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 #gfib7;b7 of this title if any of the following occurs3 7,a7 ,the scholar fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing described in paragraph 7#b7 of such section #gfib7;b74 7,b7 ,the scholar is dismissed from the participating undergraduate medical program for disciplinary reasons4 7,c7 ,the scholar voluntarily terminates the course of training in such program before the completion of such program4 7,d7 ,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 ,secretary4 7#b7 ,liability under this subsection is in lieu of any service obligation arising under the agreement of the ,,rdocs-,,va scholar4 7c7 ,recovery 7#a7 ,if an ,,rdocs-,,va officer breaches the agreement by failing 7for any reason7 to complete the period of obligated service of the officer1 the ,united ,states shall be entitled to recover from the officer an amount determined in accordance with the formula described in section #gfag7;c77#a7 of this title4 7#b7 ,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 agreement4 #gfid4 ,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 ,department4 ,such report shall include-- 7#a7 the number of scholarships awarded under this subchapter during the year covered by the report2 7#b7 data on the physician shortage of the ,department1 if any1 disaggregated by the medical facility of the ,department2 and 7#c7 a gap analysis of the primary care practitioners needed in each medical facility of the ,department1 and a five- and ten-year estimates of the funding needed to close the gap through the ,,rdocs-,,va program4 #gfie4 ,definitions ,in this subchapter3 7#a7 ,the term accelerated track family-medicine program means an appropriately accredited1 integrated course of study in which a candidate can complete undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education in six years4 7#b7 ,the term associated region means-- 7,a7 the area encompassing the boundaries of ,washington1 ,wyoming1 ,alaska1 ,montana1 and ,idaho2 7,b7 the area encompassing the boundaries of ,maine1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,massachusetts1 ,rhode ,island1 ,connecticut1 and ,vermont2 7,c7 the area encompassing the boundaries of ,delaware and ,pennsylvania2 or 7,d7 the area encompassing the boundaries of ,maryland1 the ,district of ,columbia1 and ,virginia4 7#c7 ,the term board certification means a certification to practice medicine in a specialty1 by an appropriate medical specialty board4 7#d7 ,the term participating undergraduate medical program means an allopathic or osteopathic undergraduate medical program operated by a ,state4 7#e7 ,the term primary care specialty means geriatrics1 gerontology1 family medicine1 or general internal medicine4 7#f7 ,the term ,,rdocs-,,va officer means an ,,rdocs-,,va program participant who has completed undergraduate medical training1 but has not yet fulfilled the remaining requirements of the scholarship agreement entered into under section #gfib7;b7 of this title4 7#g7 ,the term ,,rdocs-,,va scholar means an individual participating in an ,,rdocs-,,va program pursuant to a scholarship agreement entered into under section #gfib7;b7 of this title1 but has not yet completed undergraduate medical education4 7#h7 ,state ,the term ,state means each of the several ,states and the ,district of ,columbia4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section #gfhd the following new items3 ,subchapter ,,viii--,restoring the ,doctors of ,our ,country through ,scholarships--,veterans ,affairs #gfia4 ,authority for program4 #gfib4 ,scholarship program4 #gfic4 ,breach of agreement3 liability4 #gfid4 ,reports4 #gfie4 ,definitions4 4