PCTEC Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4370
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-13T19:00:40Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Primary Care Team Education Centers Act (PCTEC Act) aims to establish and expand primary care team education centers. These centers enhance community-based clinics as training sites for future health professionals, develop innovative ways to recruit and retain clinical teachers (called preceptors), and ensure more students gain hands-on experience in team-based primary care settings to improve community access to care.
Key Provisions
- Grants Authorized: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) can award grants to eligible entities (such as community health centers, rural health clinics, or similar organizations) to create or grow primary care team education centers.
- Grants last up to 5 years, with a maximum of $1 million per year.
- Required Uses of Funds:
- Build partnerships with colleges, universities, or health organizations to address shortages of clinical teachers, training sites, and faculty through new employment, hiring, and pay models; this may include covering preceptor salaries.
- Support student training with integrated curricula (including mental health and well-being strategies), plus help like housing or transportation to training sites.
- Expand roles for non-traditional team members, such as school nurses or community health workers.
- Promote career growth for center staff.
- Award Priorities: Preference for applications targeting regional workforce shortages, increasing health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds, and providing preceptor training (especially for nurses).
- Technical Assistance: HHS provides support to grantees, using no more than 5% of funds.
- Reporting: Annual reports to Congress on grant numbers, student participation, staff involvement, training hours, and outcomes.
- Funding: Authorizes $10 million (FY 2027), $25 million (FY 2028), $50 million (FY 2029), and ongoing sums thereafter.
- Definitions:
- Preceptor: A health professional who supervises, mentors, and provides hands-on training to students.
- Primary care team: Two or more providers collaborating with patients and caregivers for coordinated care.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new section (399V-8) to Part P of Title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g et seq.).
- Prohibits recipients of these grants from also receiving funds under existing programs like Teaching Health Center Development Grants (section 749A) or Graduate Medical Education payments for teaching health centers (section 340H), preventing overlap.
- Makes minor conforming changes to related sections.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS gains responsibility for grant administration, technical assistance, and congressional reporting, with increasing funding needs.
- Citizens: Could lead to more trained primary care providers, especially in underserved or shortage areas, improving access to team-based care and addressing workforce gaps.
- No notable international relations impacts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Eligible entities (e.g., community health centers, rural clinics) receiving grants.
- Health professional students (e.g., doctors, nurses) gaining clinical training.
- Preceptors and clinical staff benefiting from better pay, retention support, and training roles.
- Institutions of higher education partnering for student placements.
- Communities with health workforce shortages, particularly those serving disadvantaged populations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes clear eligibility limits to avoid duplicative federal funding, ensuring efficient use of resources.
- Constitutional: No apparent issues; falls under Congress's spending power for public health.
- Political: Represents targeted investment in primary care workforce development, potentially bipartisan appeal for addressing health access in rural and underserved areas, with built-in accountability via reports.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2026-04-22: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Primary Care Team Education Centers Act — issued 2026-04-22 — PDF (9 pages)