Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2024
This bill adds medical laboratory professionals to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and establishes a grant program to fund education programs for medical laboratory professionals. Specifically, it makes medical laboratory professionals eligible to participate in the NHSC, which provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to health care providers who agree to work in areas with health care provider shortages. The bill also authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to, or enter into contracts with, certain hospitals, schools, and nonprofits to develop and operate accredited education programs that award degrees or certificates to medical laboratory professionals.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9849 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9849
To amend the Public Health Service Act to address the shortage of
medical laboratory personnel, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 25, 2024
Ms. Ross introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to address the shortage of
medical laboratory personnel, and for other purposes.
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 ``Medical Laboratory Personnel
Shortage Relief Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. INCLUDING MEDICAL LABORATORY PERSONNEL AND SERVICES IN NATIONAL
HEALTH SERVICE CORPS PROGRAMS.
(a) Definition.--Section 331(a) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 254d(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3)(D), by striking ``or mental health''
and inserting ``mental health, or medical laboratory
services''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) The term `medical laboratory personnel'--
``(i) means individuals--
``(I) seeking or receiving training in an
accredited medical laboratory science program;
or
``(II) employed in a position in which the
individual examines materials derived from the
human body for the purpose of providing
information for the diagnosis, prevention, or
treatment of a disease or impairment of human
beings; and
``(ii) includes phlebotomists, medical laboratory
assistants, histotechnologists, laboratory scientists,
laboratory technicians, and genetic counselors.''.
(b) Medical Laboratory Health Professional Target Areas.--Section
332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(l) Medical Laboratory Health Professional Target Areas.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program
of--
``(A) identifying medical laboratory health
professional target areas; and
``(B) assigning members of the Corps who are
medical laboratory personnel to such areas.
``(2) Applicable provisions.--The provisions of paragraphs
(1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) of subsection (k) shall apply to
the identification of medical laboratory health professional
target areas and the assignment of medical laboratory personnel
under this subsection except that--
``(A) references to maternity care health
professional target areas shall be treated as
references to medical laboratory health professional
target areas; and
``(B) references to maternity care health
professionals and maternity care shall be treated as
references to medical laboratory personnel and medical
laboratory services, respectively.''.
(c) Loan Repayment Program.--Section 338B of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l-1) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ``medical laboratory
personnel,'' after ``dentists,''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``an individual must--'' and all
that follows through ``or physician assistant;'' and
inserting the following: ``an individual must--
``(1)(A)(i) have a degree in medicine, osteopathic
medicine, dentistry, or another health profession, or an
appropriate degree from a graduate program of behavioral and
mental health;
``(ii) be certified as a nurse midwife, nurse practitioner,
or physician assistant; or
``(iii) have a degree in medical laboratory science;'';
(B) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``medical
laboratory science,'' after ``mental health,''; and
(C) in paragraph (1)(C)(ii), by inserting ``medical
laboratory science,'' after ``dentistry,''.
SEC. 3. MEDICAL LABORATORY PERSONNEL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
The Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting after section
778 (42 U.S.C. 295f-3) the following:
``SEC. 779. MEDICAL LABORATORY PERSONNEL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into
contracts with, eligible entities that the Secretary has determined are
capable of carrying out such grant or contract--
``(1) to plan, develop, operate, or participate in an
accredited medical laboratory professional education program
that awards an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree or
certificate; and
``(2) to recruit, train, and develop faculty for such
program.
``(b) Priorities in Making Awards.--In awarding grants and
contracts under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to
eligible entities that--
``(1) utilize innovative approaches to clinical teaching;
``(2) are committed to training individuals from rural,
underrepresented, or disadvantaged backgrounds;
``(3) teach collaboration among health professionals; or
``(4) provide training in cultural competency and health
literacy.
``(c) Duration of Awards.--A grant or contract awarded under this
subsection shall be for a period of 3 years.
``(d) Eligible Entity Defined.--In this section, the term `eligible
entity' means an accredited nonprofit hospital, school of allied
health, or nonprofit entity that sponsors accredited internship
programs required for professional certification.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
``(1) $25,000,000 for the first full fiscal year beginning
after the date of enactment of this Act; and
``(2) such sums as may be necessary for subsequent fiscal
years.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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