42 U.S.C. § 254t — Demonstration project

(a) Program authorized: The Secretary had to create a demonstration project letting chiropractic doctors and pharmacists join the Loan Repayment Program under section 254l–1. (b) Procedure: Anyone getting help under this project had to follow all the same rules as the regular Loan Repayment Program — except the parts of section 254l–1(b)(1) that require a degree in medicine, dentistry, or a similar profession. (c) Limitations: (1) The project had to include people serving in both rural and urban areas. (2) The Secretary couldn't assign someone in this project to a site unless (A) a physician or other prescriber was already assigned to serve obligated service there under sections 254m or 254n, and (B) that physician or prescriber would serve at the same site at the same time. (3)(A) Nothing in this section required or implied that a physician or prescriber had to supervise a project participant. (B) Nothing in this section overrode state licensing laws for health professionals. (d) Designations: During fiscal years 2002 through 2004, the Secretary could not consider this project, or its participating providers, when deciding whether to designate a health professional shortage area. (e) Rule of construction: This section did not require any state to take part in the project. (f) Report: (1) The Secretary had to evaluate the project and send a report to four specific congressional committees: the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee; the House Committee on Energy and Commerce; and the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee. (2) That report had to cover (A) how the project affected access to primary care, patient satisfaction, care quality, and services for traditionally underserved populations; (B) how including chiropractic doctors and pharmacists might affect shortage-area designations; and (C) whether making them permanent members of the National Health Service Corps would be practical and would help the Corps. (g) Authorization of appropriations: (1) Congress was authorized to appropriate whatever was necessary for fiscal years 2002 through 2004. (2) If the Secretary certified to Congress, by September 30, 2004, that too few people had joined the project to properly evaluate it, this authorization would extend to include fiscal year 2005 too.