Community TEAMS Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 3989
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T11:03:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students Act of 2026 (Community TEAMS Act of 2026) aims to increase the number of doctors practicing in rural areas and medically underserved communities by funding training programs for medical students. It does this by amending the Public Health Service Act to support hands-on, community-based medical education in these high-need locations.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Director, can award grants to expand community-based training for medical students. This includes funding clinical rotations (practical training periods) in outpatient and other healthcare settings in rural or underserved areas to encourage students to build long-term practices there.
- Grant Duration and Eligibility: Grants last 1 to 5 years. Eligible applicants must be consortia (partnerships) consisting of:
- One or more schools of osteopathic medicine (which train doctors of osteopathic medicine, focusing on whole-person care) or allopathic medicine (which trains medical doctors using conventional medicine).
- One or more rural health clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs, community-based clinics that provide care to low-income and uninsured people), or healthcare facilities in medically underserved communities (areas with limited access to primary care).
- Application Requirements: Applicants must submit detailed plans, including:
- A project description and justification for federal funding.
- Strategies for ongoing quality improvement in healthcare services.
- How the program will improve access to quality care across all stages of health needs (from prevention to treatment).
- A sustainability plan for after federal funding ends.
- An evaluation method to measure success.
- Consultation with state rural health offices or similar entities.
- Funding Authorization: Extends federal support for related small healthcare provider programs through 2030.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new subsection (h) to Section 330A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c), which previously focused on small health center grants and quality improvement but did not include medical student training in rural/underserved areas.
- Redesignates existing subsections (h), (i), and (j) to (i), (j), and (k) to accommodate the new provision.
- Updates the act's purpose statement in subsection (a) to explicitly include medical student training.
- Revises references throughout the section to incorporate the new grants, such as in funding priorities and definitions.
- Extends the overall authorization of appropriations (federal budget approval) from fiscal years 2021–2025 to 2026–2030.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HRSA will gain new responsibilities for reviewing applications, awarding, and overseeing grants, potentially increasing administrative workload but aligning with its mission to address healthcare shortages.
- Citizens: Residents in rural and medically underserved areas may see better access to doctors and primary care, reducing healthcare disparities and improving health outcomes in communities with limited medical services.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. healthcare training.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Medical Schools and Students: Osteopathic and allopathic schools benefit from funding to partner on training; students gain practical experience that could lead to careers in underserved areas.
- Healthcare Facilities: Rural health clinics, FQHCs, and facilities in underserved communities receive support to host rotations, potentially attracting more permanent staff.
- Communities and Patients: Rural and low-income populations in medically underserved areas stand to gain from increased physician presence and sustained healthcare services.
- State Agencies: State offices of rural health must be consulted on applications, influencing local implementation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens existing federal support for community health centers under the Public Health Service Act without creating new regulatory burdens; emphasizes voluntary partnerships rather than mandates.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority to spend on public health (under the General Welfare Clause) and promote the general welfare by addressing healthcare access, with no apparent conflicts to individual rights or state powers.
- Political: Supports bipartisan efforts to tackle physician shortages in rural America, potentially influencing future healthcare policy debates on workforce development, though it relies on annual appropriations that could face budget constraints.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2026-03-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-04 — PDF (6 pages)