§ 1616m. Matching grants to tribes for scholarship programs

(a) In general

(1) The Secretary shall make grants to Indian tribes and tribal organizations for the purpose of assisting such tribes and tribal organizations in educating Indians to serve as health professionals in Indian communities.

(2) Amounts available for grants under paragraph (1) for any fiscal year shall not exceed 5 percent of amounts available for such fiscal year for Indian Health Scholarships under section 1613a of this title.

(3) An application for a grant under paragraph (1) shall be in such form and contain such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry out this section.

(b) Compliance with requirements

(1) An Indian tribe or tribal organization receiving a grant under subsection (a) of this section shall agree to provide scholarships to Indians pursuing education in the health professions in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(2) With respect to the costs of providing any scholarship pursuant to paragraph (1)—

(A) 80 percent of the costs of the scholarship shall be paid from the grant made under subsection (a) of this section to the Indian tribe or tribal organization; and

(B) 20 percent of such costs shall be paid from non-Federal contributions by the Indian tribe or tribal organization through which the scholarship is provided.

(3) In determining the amount of non-Federal contributions that have been provided for purposes of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2), any amounts provided by the Federal Government to the Indian tribe or tribal organization involved or to any other entity shall not be included.

(4) Non-Federal contributions required by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) may be provided directly by the Indian tribe or tribal organization involved or through donations from public and private entities.

An Indian tribe or tribal organization shall provide scholarships under subsection (b) of this section only to Indians enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a course of study (approved by the Secretary) in one of the health professions described in section 1613a (a) of this title.

(d) Contract requirements

In providing scholarships under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary and the Indian tribe or tribal organization shall enter into a written contract with each recipient of such scholarship. Such contract shall—

(1) obligate such recipient to provide service in an Indian health program (as defined in section 1616a (a)(2)(A) of this title), in the same service area where the Indian tribe or tribal organization providing the scholarship is located, for—

(A) a number of years equal to the number of years for which the scholarship is provided (or the part-time equivalent thereof, as determined by the Secretary), or for a period of 2 years, whichever period is greater; or

(B) such greater period of time as the recipient and the Indian tribe or tribal organization may agree;

(2) provide that the amount of such scholarship—

(A) may be expended only for—

(i) tuition expenses, other reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses incurred in attendance at the educational institution; and

(ii) payment to the recipient of a monthly stipend of not more than the amount authorized by section 254l (g)(1)(B) of title 42, such amount to be reduced pro rata (as determined by the Secretary) based on the number of hours such student is enrolled; and

(B) may not exceed, for any year of attendance for which the scholarship is provided, the total amount required for the year for the purposes authorized in subparagraph (A);

(3) require the recipient of such scholarship to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the educational institution in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary); and

(4) require the recipient of such scholarship to meet the educational and licensure requirements necessary to be a physician, certified nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or physician assistant.

(e) Breach of contract

(1) An individual who has entered into a written contract with the Secretary and an Indian tribe or tribal organization under subsection (d) of this section and who—

(A) fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing in the educational institution in which he is enrolled (such level determined by the educational institution under regulations of the Secretary),

(B) is dismissed from such educational institution for disciplinary reasons,

(C) voluntarily terminates the training in such an educational institution for which he is provided a scholarship under such contract before the completion of such training, or

(D) fails to accept payment, or instructs the educational institution in which he is enrolled not to accept payment, in whole or in part, of a scholarship under such contract,

in lieu of any service obligation arising under such contract, shall be liable to the United States for the Federal share of the amount which has been paid to him, or on his behalf, under the contract.

(2) If for any reason not specified in paragraph (1), an individual breaches his written contract by failing either to begin such individual’s service obligation required under such contract or to complete such service obligation, the United States shall be entitled to recover from the individual an amount determined in accordance with the formula specified in subsection (l) of section 1616a of this title in the manner provided for in such subsection.

(3) The Secretary may carry out this subsection on the basis of information submitted by the tribes or tribal organizations involved, or on the basis of information collected through such other means as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(f) Nondiscriminatory practice

The recipient of a scholarship under subsection (b) of this section shall agree, in providing health care pursuant to the requirements of subsection (d)(1) of this section—

(1) not to discriminate against an individual seeking such care on the basis of the ability of the individual to pay for such care or on the basis that payment for such care will be made pursuant to the program established in title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.] or pursuant to the program established in title XIX of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.]; and

(2) to accept assignment under section 1842(b)(3)(B)(ii) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395u (b)(3)(B)(ii)] for all services for which payment may be made under part B of title XVIII of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1395j et seq.], and to enter into an appropriate agreement with the State agency that administers the State plan for medical assistance under title XIX of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.] to provide service to individuals entitled to medical assistance under the plan.

(g) Payments for subsequent fiscal years

The Secretary may not make any payments under subsection (a) of this section to an Indian tribe or tribal organization for any fiscal year subsequent to the first fiscal year of such payments unless the Secretary determines that, for the immediately preceding fiscal year, the Indian tribe or tribal organization has complied with requirements of this section.

U.S. Code

§ 1616m. Matching grants to tribes for scholarship programs