Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Health Investment Zones Act creates a federal program to designate economically disadvantaged areas with documented health problems as "Health Investment Zones" to attract healthcare providers and improve health outcomes. To qualify, areas must have low incomes, high poverty rates, health professional shortages, lower life expectancy, or other health disparities. The bill establishes multiple incentives to encourage healthcare practitioners to work in these zones, including a 10 percent federal tax credit for employers hiring workers there, a 30 percent tax credit for eligible health workers' wages, Medicare payment bonuses of 10-15 percent for services delivered in these areas, and a student loan repayment program offering up to $100,000 per practitioner over 10 years. Designated areas may also receive direct grants to support health improvement initiatives like mobile clinics, provider training, and community health programs. The program operates for 10 years, with the Secretary of Health and Human Services tasked with designating zones within two years and submitting a final report to Congress evaluating whether the incentives successfully attracted healthcare providers and reduced health disparities in participating communities.
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