text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Primary Care Physician Reentry 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds as follows:
              (1) According to the Association of American Medical 
          Colleges--
                      (A) the shortage of primary care physicians will 
                  reach 45,000 by the year 2020, as fewer than 20 percent 
                  of medical students choose to enter primary care 
                  medicine; and
                      (B) the overall shortage of physicians in the 
                  United States is expected to surpass 130,000 by 2025.
              (2) Medical schools in the United States train only 
          approximately 16,000 new physicians every year.
              (3) The Department of Health and Human Services estimates 
          that the United States needs at least 16,000 more primary care 
          physicians.
              (4) According to a survey of 1,600 pediatricians over the 
          age of 50 conducted by the Association of American Medical 
          Colleges and the American Academy of Pediatrics, 22 percent of 
          female pediatricians took extended leave (6 months or more) 
          from medicine, compared to only 6.5 percent of male 
          pediatricians. Seventy-one percent of the female pediatricians 
          who took extended leave did so to care for a child or family 
          member.
  
  SEC. 3. REENTRY PROGRAM FOR PHYSICIANS.
  
      (a) Activities of the Secretary.--
              (1) Establishment of demonstration program.--The Secretary 
          of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as 
          the ``Secretary'') shall establish a demonstration program to 
          assist the development of innovative programs that facilitate 
          physician reentry into clinical practice to provide primary 
          health services. Under such demonstration program, the 
          Secretary shall--
                      (A) award one grant, on a competitive basis, to an 
                  eligible entity described in subsection (b) in each of 
                  the 10 regions served by a regional office of the 
                  Department of Health and Human Services to carry out 
                  physician reentry projects to assist reentering 
                  physicians participating in such projects through any 
                  of the activities described in subsection (d); and
                      (B) in consultation with key stakeholders and 
                  subject to paragraph (2)(B), carry out the 
                  administrative activities described in paragraph 
                  (2)(A).
              (2) Administrative activities.--
                      (A) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (1)(B), 
                  the administrative activities described in this 
                  subparagraph are the following:
                              (i) Conduct a national needs assessment 
                          with regard to the supply of physicians who 
                          provide primary health services, using, to the 
                          extent feasible, information collected for use 
                          in other similar completed or forthcoming 
                          studies, such as studies conducted by the 
                          Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and 
                          the Health Resources and Services 
                          Administration.
                              (ii) Develop a database that contains a 
                          directory of programs that help physicians 
                          reenter clinical practice.
                              (iii) Disseminate evidence-based 
                          assessments and evaluation tools as such 
                          assessments and tools become available to 
                          measure the basic core competencies of 
                          physicians reentering clinical practice that 
                          are consistent with the guidelines published by 
                          the Federation of State Medical Boards for such 
                          physicians.
                              (iv) Assist State regulatory authorities 
                          and hospital credentialing committees to 
                          structure requirements for physicians to return 
                          to clinical practice in a manner that ensures 
                          patient safety while addressing the burdens on 
                          such reentering physicians.
                      (B) Limitation.--The Secretary shall use not more 
                  than 15 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out 
                  this section to carry out the activities described in 
                  subparagraph (A).
      (b) Eligible Entities.--Entities eligible to receive a grant under 
  this section are the following:
              (1) A State.
              (2) A hospital.
              (3) An academic medical center.
              (4) A medical school.
              (5) A health center (as defined in section 330(a) of the 
          Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(a))).
              (6) A teaching health center.
              (7) A non-profit organization with a demonstrated history 
          or expertise in providing physician education and with the 
          ability to offer programs specifically targeted at reentering 
          physicians.
      (c) Application.--In order to receive a grant under this section, 
  an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such 
  time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
  may require.
      (d) Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives funds under 
  this section shall use such funds to carry out a physician reentry 
  project to assist reentering physicians participating in the project 
  through any of the following activities:
              (1) Training such reentering physicians to reenter clinical 
          practice.
              (2) Paying credentialing fees and other fees that are 
          necessary for such reentering physicians to reenter clinical 
          practice.
              (3) Paying the salaries of such reentering physicians who 
          are so eligible to reenter clinical practice during the period 
          for which such physicians provide primary health services at a 
          center described in subsection (e)(1).
              (4) Providing loan repayment assistance and other financial 
          assistance, including scholarships and grants for education and 
          training, to such reentering physicians.
      (e) Requirements of Reentry Physicians To Participate in 
  Projects.--To be eligible to participate in a physician reentry project 
  carried out by an eligible entity under this section, a reentering 
  physician shall provide assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that 
  the physician will comply with the following:
              (1) Service locations.--The reentering physician shall 
          provide primary health services at--
                      (A) a health center (as defined in section 330(a) 
                  of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(a)));
                      (B) a Veterans Administration Medical Center if the 
                  Secretary of Veterans Affairs certifies that there is a 
                  shortage of physicians at such medical center; or
                      (C) a school-based health center (as defined in 
                  section 2110(c)(9) of the Social Security Act (42 
                  U.S.C. 1397jj(c)(9))).
              (2) Length of service.--The reentering physician shall 
          provide such services at such a center, consistent with 
          paragraph (1), for not less than 2 years.
      (f) Liability Protections.--For purposes of section 224 of the 
  Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 233), a reentering physician 
  participating in a physician reentry project under this section shall 
  be deemed to be an employee of the Public Health Service working within 
  the scope of such employment with respect to primary health services 
  provided by such reentering physician at a center described in 
  subsection (e)(1) under the terms of such participation in such 
  project. The remedy against the United States for a physician described 
  in paragraph (2) who is deemed to be an employee of the Public Health 
  Service pursuant to the previous sentence shall be exclusive of any 
  other civil action or proceeding to the same extent as the remedy 
  against the United States is exclusive pursuant to subsection (a) of 
  such section.
      (g) Annual Review and Report.--For any year during which the 
  demonstration program under this section is carried out, the Secretary 
  shall conduct a review and comprehensive evaluation of such program and 
  shall prepare and submit to Congress a report assessing such program, 
  including an assessment of the performance of the reentering physicians 
  who participate in physician reentry projects under such program.
      (h) Reentering Physicians.--
              (1) Definition.--Subject to paragraph (2), for purposes of 
          this section, the term ``reentering physician'' means an 
          individual--
                      (A) who is a doctor of medicine;
                      (B) who received training in primary care or 
                  primary health services, including family medicine, 
                  internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and 
                  gynecology, dentistry, and mental health.
                      (C) who was previously (and may currently be) 
                  legally authorized to practice medicine and surgery by 
                  a State;
                      (D) who previously engaged in the clinical practice 
                  of medicine, but who is not currently engaged in the 
                  clinical practice of medicine and has not been engaged 
                  in such practice for a period of 2 years or such longer 
                  period determined to be sufficient by the Secretary; 
                  and
                      (E) who provides assurances satisfactory to the 
                  Secretary and the respective State licensing board that 
                  the individual will return to clinical practice in the 
                  discipline in which such individual was trained or 
                  certified, including, if applicable, by regaining 
                  necessary training and certification for legal 
                  authorization to practice medicine and surgery by a 
                  State.
              (2) Exclusions.--For purposes of this section, the term 
          ``reentering physician'' does not include an individual if--
                      (A) such individual has failed to complete an 
                  obligation to provide health care services under a 
                  Federal, State, or local program (including any period 
                  of obligated service under subpart III of part D of 
                  title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                  254l et seq.));
                      (B) a final adverse action regarding such 
                  individual has been reported to the data collection 
                  program under section 1128E of the Social Security Act 
                  (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7e); or
                      (C) the individual has a debt due to the United 
                  States.
      (i) Primary Health Services Defined.--For purposes of this section, 
  the term ``primary health services'' has the meaning given such term in 
  section 331(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
  254d(a)(3)).
      (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
  appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
  for fiscal year 2015.
target: Primary Care Physician Reentry Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a demonstration program to facilitate physician reentry into primary care clinical practice in exchange for the physician providing primary care at an eligible health center for at least two years.  Requires the Secretary to award one grant to an entity in each of the 10 administrative regions of HHS to carry out physician reentry projects. Directs grantees to assist reentering physicians by providing training, paying credentialing and other necessary fees, paying salaries, and providing loan repayment and other financial assistance. Requires the Secretary to: (1) assess the need for additional primary care physicians, (2) develop a directory of programs that help physicians reenter clinical practice, (3) disseminate evaluation tools to measure the core competencies of physicians reentering clinical practice, and (4) assist regulatory and credentialing authorities to structure requirements for reentering physicians that ensure patient safety while addressing the burdens on those physicians.  Limits civil liability for physicians participating in a reentry project.
feat_title: Primary Care Physician Reentry Act