Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Rural Medical Residency Expansion Act of 2021”.
Rural Medical Residency Expansion Act of 2021
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program to encourage the development and expansion of approved medical residency training programs in rural areas.
Sec. 2 Grant program to encourage the development and expansion of approved medical residency training programs in rural areas
In general— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall establish a program to be known as the Rural Medical Residency Expansion Grant Program (in this section referred to as the “Program”) for purposes of awarding grants during the 10-year period beginning on such date to qualifying hospitals and entities (as defined in subsection (d)) to facilitate the development or expansion of approved medical residency training programs (as defined for purposes of section 1886(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h))).
Application— The Secretary may award grants under the Program only to a qualifying hospital that submits to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as may be specified by the Secretary. Such award shall be in an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary.
Use of funds— Funds made available to a qualifying hospital pursuant to a grant awarded under the Program may only be used by such hospital to—
develop an approved medical residency training program; or
expand an existing such program.
Qualifying hospital and entity defined— For purposes of this section, the term “qualifying hospital and entity” means—
a hospital (as defined in section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x));
a critical access hospital (as so defined);
a sole community hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(D)(iii)));
a rural emergency hospital (as defined in section 1861(kkk)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(kkk)(2))); or
an entity eligible for the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program administered by the Health Resources & Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Reporting—
Initial report— Not later than 1 year after the date specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate on how many qualifying hospitals and entities received funding under the Program and how many new residents were trained as a result of the Program.
Subsequent reports— The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to such Committees a report that identifies the practices of residents participating in the Program (including whether such residents are practicing in a rural area) 5 and 10 years after the report is submitted pursuant to paragraph (1).
Funding— There are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for the 10-year period beginning with the first calendar year in which the Program is established for purposes of carrying out this section.