Health Professions Training Assistance Act of 1985

(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments)

Health Professions Training Assistance Act of 1985 - Title I: Authorization of Appropriations - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for the following through FY 1988: (1) scholarships for students of exceptional financial need; (2) medical school departments of family medicine; (3) area health education centers; (4) training of physician assistants; (5) training programs in general internal medicine and general pediatrics; (6) training programs in family medicine and general practice of dentistry; (7) educational assistance to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds; (8) curriculum development and faculty training grants; (9) advanced financial distress assistance (only through FY 1987); (10) graduate programs in health administration; (11) traineeships for students in other graduate programs; (12) public health traineeships; (13) training in preventive medicine; and (14) the Federal loan insurance program.

Title II: Program Revisions - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include schools of chiropractic as health professional schools eligible to participate in educational assistance to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Amends the definition of "program for the training of physician assistants" to include training: (1) which would qualify the physician assistants to provide primary health care under the supervision of a physician; (2) in primary care, disease prevention, health promotion, geriatric medicine, and home health care.

Includes colleges and institutions providing additional training in a science related to health care within the definition of "school of allied health." Includes within the definition of "allied health professional" individuals with postbaccalaureate training in a science related to health care.

Defines the term "graduate program in clinical psychology" for the purposes of such Act. Makes such a program eligible to participate in educational assistance programs for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Describes the composition of the National Advisory Council on Health Professions Education.

Permits the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use funds appropriated under such Act to provide technical assistance for any authority under such Act.

Provides for the recovery of Federal construction assistance under specified circumstances. Requires the owner of a facility which received such assistance to notify the Secretary of the change of circumstances. Provides a formula for determining the recoverable amount. Allows the Secretary to waive recovery for good cause.

Requires eligible borrowers under the health education assistance loan program (HEAL) and the health professions student loan program to submit to registration under the Military Selective Service Act.

Provides for the repayment of HEAL loans to begin nine to 12 months after the borrower: (1) ceases to be a participant in an accredited internship or residency program of not more than four years in duration; (2) completes the fourth year of an accredited internship or residency program of more than four years in duration; (3) ceases to be a participant in a fellowship training program; or (4) ceases to carry a full-time academic workload. Allows a two year (formerly three year) deferral for service as a full-time volunteer under title I of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. Prescribes the method for determining interest on such loans.

Makes students seeking a doctor of pharmacy or equivalent degree eligible for health professions student loans. Provides for the repayment of such loans to begin one year after the student ceases to pursue a full-time course of study. Allows deferrals for: (1) up to three years for uniformed service or service under the Peace Corps Act; (2) all periods of internships and residencies; and (3) up to two years for full-time educational activity directly related to the health profession for which that individual is preparing.

Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations to carry out such Act.

Allows a school to assess a charge to cover the costs of insuring against the cancellation of such loans. Allows the school to impose a penalty of up to six percent of the installment payment for the failure to make such payment when due. Authorizes the Secretary to try to collect any loan under such Act which is in default.

Directs each school to make specified loan information available to student borrowers.

Requires the Secretary to provide a school with notice of the intention to terminate an agreement under such Act. Provides procedures for appealing such terminations.

Requires any standard established by the Secretary for the collection of loans to provide that the failure of any school to collect such loans shall be measured by the ratio that the defaulted principal amount outstanding bears to the school's matured loans.

Provides that scholarships for first-year students of exceptional financial need shall include: (1) tuition; (2) reasonable educational expenses; and (3) a stipend of $400 per month.

Directs the Secretary to make grants to schools of public health for the support of education programs. Describes the method for determining the amount of such grants. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1986 through 1988 for such grants. Imposes certain eligibility requirements for receiving such grants.

Gives priority for family medicine instruction grants to applicants that demonstrate a commitment to family medicine.

Directs the Secretary to enter into contracts with schools of medicine and osteopathy for specified programs through area health education centers.

Gives priority for grants for training, traineeships, and fellowships in general internal medicine and general pediatrics to applicants that demonstrate a commitment to general internal medicine and general pediatrics in their medical education training programs.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants for the planning, development, and operation of approved advanced educational programs in the general practice of dentistry. Gives priority for such grants to applicants that demonstrate a commitment to family medicine in their medical education training program.

Includes public and nonprofit private schools of chiropractic and schools with graduate programs in clinical psychology as eligible to participate in the program of education assistance to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Specifies that 20 percent of the funds appropriated for educational assistance to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds shall be obligated for stipends to individuals of exceptional financial need.

Directs the Secretary to make grants to schools which provide the first or last two years of education leading to the doctor of medicine or osteopathy degree.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants or enter into contracts for the following projects: (1) health promotion and disease prevention; (2) curriculum development; (3) training in health policy and policy analysis; and (4) the development of initiatives for assuring the competence of health professionals.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants and enter into contracts with schools of medicine and osteopathy, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, podiatry, veterinary medicine, public health, and allied health, and programs for the training of physician assistants for projects to: (1) improve the training of health professionals in geriatrics; and (2) establish new affiliations with nursing homes.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to schools of veterinary medicine for: (1) the development of curricula for training in the care of animals used in research; (2) the provision of such training; and (3) large animal care and research.

Allows the Secretary to enter into contracts with schools seeking advanced financial distress assistance that submit a plan to achieve financial solvency within six (previously five) years.

Eliminates the following current programs: (1) advanced funding; (2) grants for family medicine, training, traineeships, fellowships, and computer health care demonstrations; (3) education of U.S. students returning from foreign medical schools; (4) occupational health training and education centers; and (5) financial distress grants.

Directs the Secretary to include in the report scheduled for October 1, 1986: (1) an analysis of the financial disincentives to graduates of health professions schools which affect the specialty of practice chosen or the decision to practice in an area which lacks an adequate number of health care professionals; and (2) recommendations to correct any such disincentives.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a study to determine if health professions schools comply with the Military Selective Service Act.

Directs the Secretary to request the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study regarding the role of allied health personnel in health care delivery.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a study of the requirements for, and supply of, chiropractors, clinical psychologists, veterinarians, optometrists, pharmacists, podiatrists, public health professionals, and health administrators.

Directs the Secretary to request the National Academy of Sciences to study the delivery of health care services to the homeless.

Provides for the recovery of funds paid under the Community Mental Health Act if, within 20 years after the completion of the remodeling, construction, or acquisition, the facility is: (1) sold to an entity which would not have been qualified to file an application under such Act; or (2) ceases to be a community mental health center. Describes the method for determining the recoverable amount. Allows the Secretary to waive recovery for good cause.

Directs the Secretary to make grants to nursing schools for projects which demonstrate improved geriatric training.

Directs the Secretary to give priority for advanced nurse training grants and contracts for education projects in geriatric and gerontological nursing.