Bill > S4330

This bill, the Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act, aims to address the projected shortage of specialty physicians, particularly in rural communities, by establishing a loan repayment program. The key provisions of the bill are: 1. It authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, to enter into agreements with specialty medicine physicians and non-physician specialty health care providers to repay a portion of their eligible student loans in exchange for a 6-year commitment to practice in rural communities experiencing a shortage of such providers. 2. The bill defines "specialty medicine physician" as those practicing in certain specialty areas, such as hospice and palliative care, geriatric medicine, and other specialties with demonstrated shortages and limited patient access. 3. The loan repayment program will provide payments to eligible providers, covering a portion of their outstanding loans for each year of service, with the remainder paid upon completion of the 6-year commitment. 4. The total amount of loan repayment per provider is capped at $250,000, and the program is authorized for appropriations from 2022 through 2031. 5. The bill also requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the impact of the program on the availability of specialty services in rural communities.