H.R. 3728House115th Congress (2017-2019)Passed House

EMPOWER Act of 2018

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 6:10 PM UTC

The EMPOWER Act of 2018 reauthorizes a range of health‑profession workforce programs under the Public Health Service Act and sets new funding levels for fiscal years 2019‑2023. It also creates new grant and award programs to strengthen geriatrics education and training for health‑care providers. The bill mainly affects federal health agencies that administer these programs, health‑profession schools, and the health‑care workforce that will receive the training and funding.

Key Provisions

Reauthorizes and funds Centers of Excellence with $23.7 million each year FY 2019‑2023.
Provides new annual funding for health‑profession diversity training ($48.97 M), primary‑care training ($48.92 M), dental training ($40.67 M), Area Health Education Centers ($38.25 M), and the National Center for Healthcare Workforce Analysis ($5.66 M).
Sets a $17 million annual budget for the broader public health workforce program.
Creates a geriatrics workforce enhancement grant program that supports integrated geriatrics‑primary care training, community programs, and Alzheimer’s disease education.
Establishes Geriatric Academic Career Awards to support junior faculty in geriatrics, with up to $100,000 per award (adjusted for inflation) and a five‑year term.
Authorizes $40.737 million each year FY 2019‑2023 to fund the new geriatrics education and training provisions.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

13 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

July 24, 2018

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 11, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

September 11, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

September 15, 2017

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Health Subcommittee

June 27, 2018

HouseCommittee

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .

Health Subcommittee

June 27, 2018

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Energy and Commerce Committee

July 12, 2018

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Energy and Commerce Committee

July 12, 2018

HouseFloor

Mr. Burgess moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

July 23, 2018 • 2:44 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6598-6600)

July 23, 2018 • 2:44 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3728.

July 23, 2018 • 2:44 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6598-6599)

July 23, 2018 • 2:50 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6598-6599)

July 23, 2018 • 2:50 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

July 23, 2018 • 2:50 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

July 24, 2018

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 3728 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Michael C. BurgessR-TX-26 · Jul 23, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3728) to amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs relating to the health professions…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3728) to amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs relating to the health professions workforce, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, as the author of the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness Act of 2018, I rise in strong support of this bill. H.R. 3728 moved with strong bipartisan support through regular order in the full Energy and Commerce Committee and the subcommittee, which I chair. This legislation reauthorizes the title VII health professions workforce program for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Title VII programs have expired but have continued to receive appropriations. In fact, in fiscal year 2018, the appropriations levels for the program actually increased. Reauthorizing these physician workforce programs will provide much-needed stability for those who depend upon this funding.

Title VII of the Public Health Service Act includes various programs that are vital to building and maintaining a well-educated, well- trained physician workforce.

The EMPOWER Act reauthorizes funding for the Area Health Education Centers at more than $38 million a year. These centers are critical in providing both medical education and healthcare services to medically underserved areas.

The bill also reauthorizes programs that incentivize diversity in the physician workforce, including the Centers of Excellence Program, which this bill authorizes at a level of $23 million per year. This particular program provides grants to medical schools that have a disproportionate number of minority students for the purpose of expanding the schools' capacity or to improve curriculum.

Primary care is an important aspect of our Nation's healthcare system and how many Americans receive the majority of their healthcare services. H.R. 3728 reauthorizes funding for our Primary Care Training and Enhancement Program at more than $48 million per year. This program provides grants to hospitals and health professional schools to develop and operate supplemental primary care training programs.

Lastly, this bill aims to strengthen our workforce that cares for the geriatric population. The bill makes strides toward modernizing the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and the Geriatric Academic Career Award. With an aging population, our workforce needs to be adequately trained in handling the unique needs of our seniors. These two programs enable physicians and other providers to achieve that training.

Lastly, I want to thank Representatives Schakowsky and Bucshon and their staffs and the majority and minority staffs on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their work on this legislation.

Reauthorizing title VII programs is long overdue, especially in a time where our existing physician workforce is struggling to keep up with the demands for healthcare services. I urge strong support of the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just point out that reauthorizing these title VII programs is long overdue. The House of Representatives in the last Congress, the 114th Congress, did provide the reauthorization. It never made it through the other body, unfortunately. It is time to do that work now, and that is what this bill, today, purports to do.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill. It is long overdue. I urge all Members to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29 · Jul 23, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3728, the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness Act, the…

Bill Text

3 versions available

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Referred in SenateIssued July 24, 2018

IIB

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 3728

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 24, 2018

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

AN ACT

To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs relating to the health professions workforce, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness Act of 2018 or the EMPOWER Act of 2018.

Reauthorization of health professions workforce programs

(a)

Centers of excellence

Subsection (i) of section 736 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293) is amended to read as follows:

(i)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $23,711,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(b)

Health professions training for diversity

Section 740 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293d) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by striking $51,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2014 and inserting $48,970,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023;

(2)

in subsection (b), by striking $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014 and inserting $1,190,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023; and

(3)

in subsection (c), by striking $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2014 and inserting $14,189,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(c)

Primary care training and enhancement

Section 747(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k(c)(1)) is amended by striking $125,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2014 and inserting $48,924,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(d)

Training in general, pediatric, and public health dentistry

Section 748(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293k–2(f)) is amended by striking $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015 and inserting $40,673,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(e)

Area health education centers

Section 751(j)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294a(j)(1)) is amended by striking $125,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014 and inserting $38,250,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(f)

National Center for Healthcare Workforce Analysis

(1)

In general

Section 761(e)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294n(e)(1)(A)) is amended by striking $7,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014 and inserting $5,663,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(2)

Technical correction

Section 761(e)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294n(e)(2)) is amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting paragraph (1).

(g)

Public health workforce

Section 770(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295e(a)) is amended by striking $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2015 and inserting $17,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Education and training relating to geriatrics

Section 753 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294c) is amended to read as follows:

753.

Education and training relating to geriatrics

(a)

Geriatrics workforce enhancement programs

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall award grants or contracts under this subsection to entities described in paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of section 799B, section 801(2), or section 865(d), or other health professions schools or programs approved by the Secretary, for the establishment or operation of geriatrics workforce enhancement programs that meet the requirements of paragraph (2).

(2)

Requirements

A geriatrics workforce enhancement program meets the requirements of this paragraph if such program supports the development of a health care workforce that maximizes patient and family engagement and improves health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care and other appropriate specialties. Special emphasis should be placed on providing the primary care workforce with the knowledge and skills to care for older adults and collaborating with community partners to address gaps in health care for older adults through individual, system, community, and population level changes. Areas of programmatic focus may include the following:

(A)

Transforming clinical training environments to integrated geriatrics and primary care delivery systems to ensure trainees are well prepared to practice in and lead in such systems.

(B)

Developing providers who can assess and address the needs and preferences of older adults and their families and caregivers at the individual, community, and population levels.

(C)

Creating and delivering community-based programs that will provide older adults and their families and caregivers with the knowledge and skills to improve health outcomes and the quality of care for such adults.

(D)

Providing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) education to the families and caregivers of older adults, direct care workers, health professions students, faculty, and providers.

(3)

Duration

The Secretary shall award grants and contracts under paragraph (1) for a period not to exceed 5 years.

(4)

Application

To be eligible to receive a grant or contract under paragraph (1), an entity described in such paragraph shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(5)

Equitable geographic distribution

The Secretary may award grants and contracts under paragraph (1) in a manner which will equitably distribute such grants and contracts among the various regions of the United States.

(6)

Priority

In awarding grants and contracts under paragraph (1), the Secretary may give priority to programs that—

(A)

have the goal of improving and providing comprehensive coordinated care of older adults, including medical, dental, and psychosocial needs;

(B)

support the training and retraining of faculty, preceptors, primary care providers, and providers in other specialties to increase their knowledge of geriatrics and gerontology;

(C)

provide clinical experiences across care settings, including ambulatory care, hospitals, post-acute care, nursing homes, federally qualified health centers, and home and community-based services;

(D)

emphasize education and engagement of family caregivers on disease self-management, medication management, and stress reduction strategies;

(E)

provide training to the health care workforce on disease self-management, motivational interviewing, medication management, and stress reduction strategies;

(F)

provide training to the health care workforce on social determinants of health in order to better address the geriatric health care needs of diverse populations;

(G)

integrate geriatrics competencies and interprofessional collaborative practice into health care education and training curricula for residents, fellows, and students;

(H)

substantially benefit rural or underserved populations of older adults;

(I)

integrate behavioral health competencies into primary care practice, especially with respect to elder abuse, pain management, and advance care planning; or

(J)

offer short-term intensive courses that—

(i)

focus on geriatrics, gerontology, chronic care management, and long-term care that provide supplemental training for faculty members in medical schools and other health professions schools or graduate programs in psychology, pharmacy, nursing, social work, dentistry, public health, allied health, or other health disciplines, as approved by the Secretary; and

(ii)

are open to current faculty, and appropriately credentialed volunteer faculty and practitioners, to upgrade their knowledge and clinical skills for the care of older adults and adults with functional and cognitive limitations and to enhance their interdisciplinary teaching skills.

(b)

Geriatric Academic Career Awards

(1)

Establishment of program

The Secretary shall establish a program to provide Geriatric Academic Career Awards to eligible entities applying on behalf of eligible individuals to promote the career development of such individuals as academic geriatricians or other academic geriatrics health professionals.

(2)

Eligibility

(A)

Eligible entity

For purposes of this subsection, the term eligible entity means—

(i)

an entity described in paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of section 799B or section 801(2); or

(ii)

an accredited health professions school or graduate program approved by the Secretary.

(B)

Eligible individual

For purposes of this subsection, the term eligible individual means an individual who—

(i)

is board certified in internal medicine, family practice, psychiatry, or licensed dentistry, or has completed any required training in a discipline and is employed in an accredited health professions school or graduate program that is approved by the Secretary;

(ii)

has completed an approved fellowship program in geriatrics or gerontology, or has completed specialty training in geriatrics or gerontology as required by the discipline and any additional geriatrics or gerontology training as required by the Secretary; and

(iii)

has a junior (non-tenured) faculty appointment at an accredited school of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, dentistry, pharmacy, or other allied health disciplines in an accredited health professions school or graduate program that is approved by the Secretary.

(3)

Limitations

An eligible entity may not receive an award under paragraph (1) on behalf of an eligible individual unless the eligible entity—

(A)

submits to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, and the Secretary approves such application;

(B)

provides, in such form and manner as the Secretary may require, assurances that the eligible individual on whose behalf an application was submitted under subparagraph (A) will meet the service requirement described in paragraph (7); and

(C)

provides, in such form and manner as the Secretary may require, assurances that such individual has a full-time faculty appointment in an accredited health professions school or graduate program and documented commitment from such school or program to spend 75 percent of the total time of such individual on teaching and developing skills in interprofessional education in geriatrics.

(4)

Requirements

In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary—

(A)

shall give priority to eligible entities that apply on behalf of eligible individuals who are on the faculty of institutions that integrate geriatrics education, training, and best practices into academic program criteria;

(B)

may give priority to eligible entities that operate a geriatrics workforce enhancement program under subsection (a);

(C)

shall ensure that grants are equitably distributed across the various geographical regions of the United States, including rural and underserved areas;

(D)

shall pay particular attention to geriatrics health care workforce needs among underserved populations and rural areas; and

(E)

may not require an eligible individual, or an eligible entity applying on behalf of an eligible individual, to be a recipient of a grant or contract under this part.

(5)

Maintenance of effort

An eligible entity receiving an award under paragraph (1) on behalf of an eligible individual shall provide assurances to the Secretary that funds provided to such individual under this subsection will be used only to supplement, not to supplant, the amount of Federal, State, and local funds otherwise expended by such individual.

(6)

Amount and term

(A)

Amount

The amount of an award under this subsection for eligible individuals who are physicians shall equal $100,000 for fiscal year 2017, adjusted for subsequent fiscal years to reflect the increase in the Consumer Price Index. The Secretary shall determine the amount of an award under this subsection for individuals who are not physicians.

(B)

Term

The term of any award made under this subsection shall not exceed 5 years.

(7)

Service requirement

An eligible individual on whose behalf an application was submitted and approved under paragraph (3)(A) shall provide training in clinical geriatrics or gerontology, including the training of interprofessional teams of health care professionals.

(c)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $40,737,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, no funds shall be made available to carry out subsection (b) for a fiscal year unless the amount made available to carry out this section for such fiscal year is more than the amount made available to carry out this section for fiscal year 2017.

Passed the House of Representatives July 23, 2018.

Karen L. Haas,

Clerk