To enhance the ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to recruit and retain health care administrators and providers in underserved rural areas.

SA 2759. Mr. DURBIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 2730 proposed by Mr. Johnson (for himself and Mrs.
Hutchison) to the bill H.R. 3082, making appropriations for military
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes;
as follows:

On page 52, after line 21, add the following:
Sec. 229. (a)(1)(A) Of the amount made available by this
title for the Veterans Health Administration under the
heading ``medical services'', $1,500,000 shall be available
to allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to offer
incentives to qualified health care providers working in
underserved rural areas designated by the Veterans Health
Administration, in addition to amounts otherwise available
for other pay and incentives.
(B) Health care providers shall be eligible for incentives
pursuant to this paragraph only for the period of time that
they serve in designated areas.
(2)(A) Of the amount made available by this title for the
Veterans Health Administration under the heading ``medical
support and compliance'', $1,500,000 shall be available to
allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to offer incentives
to qualified health

[[Page S11297]]

care administrators working in underserved rural areas
designated by the Veterans Health Administration, in addition
to amounts otherwise available for other pay and incentives.
(B) Health care administrators shall be eligible for
incentives pursuant to this paragraph only for the period of
time that they serve in designated areas.
(b) Not later than March 31, 2010, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans'
Affairs and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives a report detailing the number of new
employees receiving incentives under the pilot program
established pursuant to this section, describing the
potential for retaining those employees, and explaining the
structure of the program.
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