Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “VA Health Care Provider Education Debt Relief Act of 2017”.
VA Health Care Provider Education Debt Relief Act of 2017
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the maximum amount of education debt reduction available for health care professionals employed by the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds the following:
The Veterans Health Administration suffers from personnel shortages.
It is essential that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs work to correct such shortages, focusing on health professional shortage areas designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
To correct such shortages, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should aggressively exercise the authority under section 7683 of title 38, United States Code, to reduce the education debt of health care providers employed by the Veterans Health Administration.
Sec. 3 Increased maximum education debt reduction for health care professionals employed by the Veterans Health Administration
Section 7683(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
in paragraph (1)—
by striking “$120,000” and inserting “$150,000”; and
by striking “$24,000” and inserting “$30,000”; and
in paragraph (2)(B), by striking all that follows “who” and inserting “works in a geographical area that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has designated under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e) as a health professional shortage area with regards to the specialty or assignment of the participant.”.