Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act or the EMPOWER for Health Act.
Section 3. Investment in tomorrow’s pediatric health care workforce
Section 775 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295f) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by striking be employed full-time and inserting perform full-time service;
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking in an area with a shortage of the specified pediatric subspecialty that has a sufficient pediatric population to support such pediatric subspecialty, as determined by the Secretary and inserting to underserved children or in an area with a shortage of the specified pediatric subspecialty; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(B)—
(i) by striking employment and inserting service; and
(ii) by striking an area or and inserting a;
(3) in subsection (c)—
(A) by striking the subsection designation and heading and all that follows through the paragraph designation and heading in paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
(1) Definition of qualified health professional
In this section:
(B) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in subparagraph (A)—
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting under this section after contracts; and
(II) in clause (ii), by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting clause (i); and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting under this section after contracts; and
(C) in paragraph (2)—
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking this subsection with an eligible individual and inserting this section with a qualified health professional;
(ii) in subparagraph (A)—
(I) by striking individual and inserting qualified health professional; and
(II) by striking medically underserved population and inserting medically underserved pediatric population (including children enrolled in the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act); and
(iii) in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C), by striking individual and inserting qualified health professional;
(4) by redesignating subsection (e) (as amended by section 2(10)) as subsection (f); and
(5) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
(1) In general
With respect to qualified health professionals described in subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (B) of subsection (c)(1) who enter into contracts under this section, the Secretary shall establish requirements for full-time service that are consistent with the practice standards, including research and teaching obligations, of the applicable pediatric medical subspecialty, pediatric surgical specialty, or child and adolescent mental and behavioral health care field in which such qualified health professional practices.
(2) Fellowships or residencies
With respect to qualified health professionals described in subsection (c)(1)(A)(i), the Secretary shall establish requirements for full-time service that are consistent with the requirements of the accrediting body for the applicable residency or fellowship for full-time service.
Section 4. Area health education centers
Section 751 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294a) is amended—
(1) in subsection (c)(1)(G), by striking high school and inserting pre-collegiate; and
(2) in subsection (h)(1)—
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 12 years and inserting 2 award cycles; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking 6 years and inserting 1 award cycle.