Health Providers Training Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5385
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Social Welfare
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-29T13:04:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 5385: Health Providers Training Act
Purpose
This bill aims to expand access to federal grants for training programs in health professions by including hospitals as eligible recipients. These grants, known as Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG), support job training and employment in the healthcare sector, particularly for low-income individuals and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients.
Key Provisions
- Eligibility Expansion: Amends Section 2008(a)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act to add hospitals to the list of eligible entities for HPOG awards. Hospitals are defined under Section 1861(e) of the Act as institutions primarily engaged in providing inpatient diagnostic and therapeutic services.
- Short Title: The bill is titled the "Health Providers Training Act."
- Effective Date: The changes take effect on October 1, 2025.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Under current law, HPOG grants are limited to certain entities like public or private nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or community-based organizations.
- This bill modifies the eligibility clause by inserting "or a hospital (as defined in section 1861(e))" after "community-based organization," broadening the pool of applicants without altering grant purposes, funding amounts, or other requirements.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which administers HPOG, may see more grant applications from hospitals, potentially increasing administrative workload but also distributing training resources more widely.
- On Citizens: Low-income individuals and TANF recipients could benefit from expanded training opportunities in hospitals, leading to better job placement in healthcare roles and improved economic mobility.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic workforce development.
- Overall, it could strengthen the healthcare workforce by enabling hospitals to directly fund targeted training programs, potentially addressing shortages in medical professionals.
Main Stakeholders
- Hospitals: Gain eligibility to apply for and receive HPOG funds for training initiatives.
- Low-Income Individuals and TANF Recipients: Primary beneficiaries through access to job training and career advancement in health professions.
- Community-Based Organizations and Other Nonprofits: Existing eligible entities may face increased competition for grants but continue to participate.
- Federal Government (HHS): Responsible for implementing and overseeing the expanded program.
- Healthcare Sector Employers: Indirectly benefit from a more skilled workforce.
Notable Implications
- Legal: This is a narrow, technical amendment to the Social Security Act with no apparent conflicts to constitutional principles; it simply clarifies and expands eligibility without creating new mandates or expenditures.
- Constitutional: No significant issues, as it operates within Congress's authority to regulate federal spending and social welfare programs.
- Political: Supports bipartisan goals of workforce development and healthcare access, potentially appealing to lawmakers focused on economic opportunity and reducing reliance on public assistance; however, it may spark debate over grant competition among eligible entities.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Health Providers Training Act — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (2 pages)