A bill to improve access to physicians in medically underserved areas.

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on October 7, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to reauthorize for a period of two years the Conrad State 30 program, which annually allows each State to request up to 30 waivers of the home residency requirement applicable to J-1 foreign medical graduates for medical service in health professional shortage areas. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt Conrad State 30 physicians from the numerical limitation on H-1B visas. Limits to primary care or specialty medicine the medical practice areas available to Conrad State 30 physicians. Allows Conrad State 30 physicians to practice medicine outside geographic areas designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the case of a waiver request from an interested State agency where the facility serves patients residing in such areas and granting the requested waiver would not cause the number of waivers for the State to exceed five in a fiscal year. Requires requests for waivers from interested Federal agencies or interested State agencies on behalf of aliens who agree to practice specialty medicine in a facility located in a geographic area designated by the Secretary to demonstrate a shortage of health care professionals able to provide services i…

Congressional Research Service · 2004-12-03