
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC292]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                    CHAPTER 6A--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
 
               SUBCHAPTER V--HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION
 
                          Part A--Student Loans
 
    subpart i--insured health education assistance loans to graduate 
                                students
 
Sec. 292. Statement of purpose

    The purpose of this subpart is to enable the Secretary to provide a 
Federal program of student loan insurance for students in (and certain 
former students of) eligible institutions (as defined in section 292o of 
this title).

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, Sec. 701, as added Pub. L. 102-408, 
title I, Sec. 102, Oct. 13, 1992, 106 Stat. 1994.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 292, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, Sec. 700, 
as added Oct. 12, 1976, Pub. L. 94-484, title II, Sec. 201(b), 90 Stat. 
2246, set forth limitations on use of appropriations, prior to repeal by 
Pub. L. 97-35, title XXVII, Sec. 2715, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 913.
    Another prior section 292, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, 
Sec. 701, as added July 30, 1956, ch. 779, Sec. 2, 70 Stat. 717; amended 
Sept. 24, 1963, Pub. L. 88-129, Sec. 2(a), 77 Stat. 164, stated 
Congressional findings and declaration of policy respecting grants for 
construction of health research facilities, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 
94-484, title II, Sec. 201(a), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2246.
    A prior section 701 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 
292a of this title prior to the general revision of this subchapter by 
Pub. L. 102-408.


                             Effective Date

    Section 103 of Pub. L. 102-408 provided that: ``The amendment made 
by section 102 [enacting this subchapter] takes effect on the date of 
the enactment of this Act [Oct. 13, 1992], except that section 708 of 
the Public Health Service Act [section 292g of this title], as added by 
section 102 of this Act, takes effect January 1, 1993. Until such date, 
section 732(c) of the Public Health Service Act [former section 294e(c) 
of this title], as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, continues in effect in lieu of such section 708.''


          Study on Effectiveness of Health Professions Programs

    Section 309 of Pub. L. 102-408 provided that:
    ``(a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct a study of the programs carried out under titles VII and 
VIII of the Public Health Service Act [this subchapter and subchapter VI 
of this chapter] (as amended by this Act) for the purpose of determining 
the effectiveness of such programs in--
        ``(1) increasing the number of primary care providers 
    (physicians, physician assistants, nurse midwives, nurse 
    practitioners and general dentists), nurses and allied health 
    personnel;
        ``(2) improving the geographic distribution of health 
    professionals in medically underserved and rural areas; and
        ``(3) recruiting and retaining as students in health professions 
    schools individuals who are members of a minority group.
    ``(b) Certain Requirements.--The study conducted under subsection 
(a) shall determine--
        ``(1) whether funding under title VII of the Public Health 
    Service Act [this subchapter] has increased the number of primary 
    care practitioners (family medicine, general internal medicine, 
    general pediatrics, general dentistry, and physician assistants) in 
    medically underserved communities (as defined in section 799 of such 
    Act [section 295p of this title]);
        ``(2) whether or not funding under such title VII has increased 
    the number of allied health professionals in medically underserved 
    or rural communities;
        ``(3) whether or not funding under title VIII of such Act 
    [subchapter VI of this chapter] has increased the number of nurses 
    in medically underserved or rural communities;
        ``(4) whether or not the various mechanisms under such titles 
    VII and VIII (such as scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, loan 
    repayment programs, project grants, and education centers) have been 
    effective in producing health care professionals who work or 
    practice in medically underserved and rural communities and the 
    relative impact or effectiveness of each mechanism;
        ``(5) the duration of service in medically underserved 
    communities (as defined in section 799 of such Act) of health 
    professionals whose training was funded by such titles or who 
    received financial incentives under such titles to practice in such 
    communities;
        ``(6) the geographic distribution of former trainees under such 
    titles who are practicing in medically underserved communities (as 
    so defined);
        ``(7) with respect to the programs of such titles whose purpose 
    is improving the health of individuals who are members of minority 
    groups, whether such programs have had a significant impact on the 
    number of such individuals entering the health professions; and
        ``(8) such other factors as may be relevant to the 
    reauthorization of such title VII or VIII.
    ``(c) Report.--Not later than January 1, 1994, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall complete the study required in 
subsection (a) and submit to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources 
of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives, a report describing the findings made as a result of 
the study and making such recommendations regarding the programs carried 
out under titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act as the 
Comptroller General determines to be appropriate.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 295o-1 of this title.
