The law › Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare › Chapter 6A
42 U.S.C. 254e: Health professional shortage areas
Created in 1976 by Public Law 94-484. Changed by 12 later laws. 2 bills in this Congress would change it.
- past change
- enacted this Congress
- proposed
This Congress
- H.R. 10280 9–8–8 Implementation Act of 2026 · introduced · would change (l)
- H.R. 5621 Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2025 · introduced · would change (l)
How it got here
2018
- Pub. L. 115–320 added subsec. (k). (Improving Access to Maternity Care Act) Law text · (k)
2008
- Pub. L. 110–355 struck out "Not earlier than 6 years after such date of designation, and every 6 years thereafter, each such center or clinic shall demonstrate that the center or clinic meets the applicable requirements of the Federal regulations regarding the definition of a health… (Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008) Law text · (a)
2003
- Pub. L. 108–163, §2(f)(1)(A), substituted "such date of designation" for "such date of enactment" and "regarding" for ", issued after the date of enactment of this Act, that revise". (Health Care Safety Net Amendments Technical Corrections Act of 2003) Law text · (a)
- Pub. L. 108–163, §2(f)(1)(B), substituted "254b(h)(5)" for "254b(h)(4)". (Health Care Safety Net Amendments Technical Corrections Act of 2003) Law text · (a)
- Pub. L. 108–163, §2(f)(1)(C), struck out comma before period at end. (Health Care Safety Net Amendments Technical Corrections Act of 2003) Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 108–163, §2(f)(1)(D), added subsec. (j). (Health Care Safety Net Amendments Technical Corrections Act of 2003) Law text · (j)
2002
- Pub. L. 107–251, §302(a)(1)(A), inserted after first sentence "All Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics, as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)), that meet the requirements of section 254g of this title shall be automati… (Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002) Law text · (a)
- Pub. L. 107–251, §601(a), substituted "254b(h)" for "256". (Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002) Law text · (a)
- Pub. L. 107–251, §302(a)(1)(B), substituted "254b(h)(4) of this title), seasonal agricultural workers (as defined in section 254b(g)(3) of this title) and migratory agricultural workers (as so defined)), and residents of public housing (as defined in section 1437a(b)(1) of this titl… (Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002) Law text · (a)
- Pub. L. 107–251, §302(a)(2), struck out after "designation," the following: "with special consideration to indicators of— (Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002) Law text · (b)
- Pub. L. 107–251, §302(a)(3), substituted "XVIII, XIX, or XXI of the Social Security Act" for "XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act". (Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002) Law text · (c)
- Pub. L. 107–251, §302(d)(2), added subsec. (i). (Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002) Law text · (i)
1990
- Pub. L. 101–597, §401(b)[(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area wherever appearing. · (a)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(b)(1), inserted "facility operated by a city or county health department," before "and community health center". · (a)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(b)(2), inserted before semicolon ", and a health program or facility operated by a tribe or tribal organization under the Indian Self-Determination Act". · (a)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(b)(3), substituted "section" for "sections" before "248", struck out "or" before "253" and "or section" before "247e", and inserted before semicolon ", or 256 of this title (relating to the provision of health services to homeless individuals)". · (a)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §401(b)[(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area. · (b)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(c)(1), struck out ", promulgated not later than May 1, 1977," after "establish by regulation". · (b)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(c)(2), redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (1) and (2), respectively, and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: · (c)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §401(b)[(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area in par. (1). · (d)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(a), (c)(3), designated existing provision as par. (1), struck out ", not later than November 1, 1977," after "Secretary shall designate", and added par. (2). · (d)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §401(b)[(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area wherever appearing. · (e)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §401(b)[(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area. · (f)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §102(c)(4), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: · (f)
- Pub. L. 101–597, §401(b)[(a)], substituted reference to health professional shortage area for reference to health manpower shortage area. · (g), (h)
1988
- Pub. L. 100–607 and Pub. L. 100–628 made identical amendments, substituting "section 256(r)" for "section 256(q)(2)". · (a)
1987
- Pub. L. 100–177, §302(1), inserted sentence at end relating to removal of an area from areas determined to be health manpower shortage areas. · (a)
- Pub. L. 100–77 added par. (3). · (a)
- Pub. L. 100–177, §302(2), added subpar. (D). · (b)
1981
- Pub. L. 97–35, §2702(a), inserted provisions respecting reasonable accessibility to adequately served area. · (a)
- Pub. L. 97–35, §986(b)(4), substituted "persons under quarantine" for "seamen". · (a)
- Pub. L. 97–35, §2702(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). · (e)
- Pub. L. 97–35, §2702(b), substituted "may" for "shall". · (h)
1979
- Pub. L. 96–32 substituted "section 247e of this title" for "part D of subchapter II of this chapter". · (a)
1977
- Pub. L. 95–142 added par. (3). · (c)
Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.