An application for assignment of a Corps member to a health professional shortage area shall include a demonstration by the applicant that the area or population group to be served by the applicant has a shortage of personal health services and that the Corps member will be located so that the member will provide services to the greatest number of persons residing in such area or included in such population group. Such a demonstration shall be made on the basis of the criteria prescribed by the Secretary under section 254e(b) of this title and on additional criteria which the Secretary shall prescribe to determine if the area or population group to be served by the applicant has a shortage of personal health services.
The Secretary shall assign Corps members to entities in health professional shortage areas without regard to the ability of the individuals in such areas, population groups, medical facilities, or other public facilities to pay for such services.
the Secretary will assign under this section members of the Corps in accordance with the program.
Notwithstanding any other law, any member of the Corps licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or any other health profession in any State shall, while serving in the Corps, be allowed to practice such profession in any State.
42 U.S.C. § 254f
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS2008-Subsec. (a)(1)(D)(ii)(VI). Pub. L. 110-355 added subcl. (VI).2003-Subsec. (a)(1)(C). Pub. L. 108-163 realigned margin.2002-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(1)(A)(i), struck out "(specified in the agreement described in section 254g of this title)" after "assignment period" in introductory provisions.Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(1)(A)(ii), struck out "nonprofit" before "private entity". Subsec. (a)(1)(C). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(1)(A)(iii), added subpar. (C) and struck out former subpar. (C) which read as follows: "an agreement has been entered into between the entity which has applied and the Secretary, in accordance with section 254g of this title; and". Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(1)(B), inserted at end "In approving such applications, the Secretary shall give preference to applications in which a nonprofit entity or public entity shall provide a site to which Corps members may be assigned."Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(2), struck out "nonprofit" before "private entity" in first sentence, added cl. (E), and inserted at end "The Secretary shall encourage entities that receive technical assistance under this paragraph to communicate with other communities, State Offices of Rural Health, State Primary Care Associations and Offices, and other entities concerned with site development and community needs assessment."Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(2)(A), struck out "nonprofit" before "private entities".Subsec. (d)(4). Pub. L. 107-251, §303(2)(A), struck out "nonprofit" before "private entities" in introductory provisions of subpar. (A) and before "private entity" in introductory provisions of subpar. (B). 1990-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101-597, §401(b) [(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area in introductory and closing provisions. Subsec. (a)(1)(D)(ii)(II). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(a), substituted "has been" and "any Corps" for "will be" and "Corps", respectively. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b), redesignated subsec. (d) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which related to approval of application for assignment of Corps personnel subject to review and comment on application by health service agencies in designated area.Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101-597, §401(b) [(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area. Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b), redesignated subsec. (e) as (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which related to applications, consideration and approval by Secretary, priorities, cooperation with Corps members, and comments by health professionals and societies in designated areas.Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101-597, §401(b) [(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area wherever appearing in pars. (1) to (4)(A)(i). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(2), redesignated subsec. (g) as (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (b). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(2), redesignated subsec. (i) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (c).Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(1), struck out subsec. (f) which provided for selection of Corps members for assignment upon basis of characteristics. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(2), redesignated subsec. (g) as (d).Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(1), struck out subsec. (h) which related to study and contracts for study of methods of assignments of Corps members.Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(2), redesignated subsec. (i) as (e).Subsecs. (j), (k). Pub. L. 101-597, §103(b)(1), struck out subsecs. (j) and (k) which provided for placement of physicians in medically underserved areas and assignment of family physicians, respectively. 1988-Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 100-607 substituted "osteopathic medicine" for "osteopathy". 1987-Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 100-177, §303, added subsec. (j).Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 100-177, §304, added subsec. (k).1981-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97-35, §2703(a), (b), amended par. (1)(D) generally and, among changes, made numerous changes in nomenclature, inserted at end of par. (1) provisions respecting application, and added par. (3).Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97-35, §2703(c), struck out par. (2) which related to special considerations, and redesignated pars. (3) and (4) as (2) and (3), respectively.Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 97-35, §2703(d), added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsecs. (d), (e), and (f) as (e), (f), and (g), respectively. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 97-35, §2703(d), (e), redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g) and substituted "may" for "shall" in pars. (1) to (3), inserted provisions respecting health professions personnel in par. (1), added par. (4), and struck out requirement respecting demonstrated interest in pars. (1) and (2). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h).Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 97-35, §2703(d), (f), redesignated former subsec. (g) as (h) and directed that "may" be substituted for "shall" which was executed by substituting "may" for "shall" in two places preceding par. (1). Former subsec. (h) redesignated (i).Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 97-35, §2703(d), (g), redesignated former subsec. (h) as (i) and inserted reference to other health profession.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2003 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 108-163 deemed to have taken effect immediately after the enactment of Pub. L. 107-251 see section 3 of Pub. L. 108-163 set out as a note under section 233 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1981 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 97-35, title XXVII, §2703(d), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 905, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective Oct. 1, 1981.
FLEXIBILITY FOR MEMBERS OF NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS DURING EMERGENCY PERIOD Pub. L. 116-136, div. A, title III, §32163216,, 134 Stat. 375, provided that: "During the public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID-19, the Secretary may, notwithstanding section 333 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254f), assign members of the National Health Service Corps, with the voluntary agreement of such corps members, to provide such health services at such places, and for such number of hours, as the Secretary determines necessary to respond to such emergency, provided that such places are within a reasonable distance of the site to which such members were originally assigned, and the total number of hours required are the same as were required of such members prior to the date of enactment of this Act [Mar. 27, 2020]."
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1See References in Text note below.
- Service
- The term "Service" means the Public Health Service;