HOPE Act
The Health Opportunities to Promote Equity Act (HOPE Act) would amend the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program under section 2008 of the Social Security Act. Its main purpose is to guarantee that, in each state that is not a territory, at least two eligible entities receive HPOG funding in every grant cycle, provided there are a sufficient number of eligible applications. If a state has fewer than two eligible applicants, the Secretary must note that in a congressional report. The bill also requires annual reports to Congress detailing the number of applications, how many were approved, and, in cases where a state had fewer than two eligible entities, how the grants were allocated. The act would take effect on October 1, 2025. The sponsor shown is Mr. Larson of Connecticut, and the bill was introduced in the House and referred to Ways and Means.
Key Points
- 1For each grant cycle, the Secretary must award at least two grants to eligible entities in every state that is not a territory, assuming there are enough eligible applications.
- 2If a state has fewer than two eligible entities for a grant cycle, that fact must be reported to Congress in the annual reporting required by the bill.
- 3The Secretary must submit annual reports to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee detailing (A) the number of grant applications submitted, (B) the number approved, and (C) a description of how grants were allocated in cases with fewer than two eligible entities.
- 4The bill redesignates certain subsections of Section 2008 of the Social Security Act to accommodate the new requirement and adds a new subsection (c) establishing the guarantees.
- 5The amendments would take effect on October 1, 2025.