Last week, HHS announced that the National Health Service Corps -- a federal program that places clinicians in underserved communities -- has almost tripled in size from about 3,600 members in 2008 to 10,000 this year. The program provides scholarships and loan repayments to health care providers who commit to practice for two to four years in underserved communities. Funding provided by the federal health reform law and the 2009 economic stimulus package has allowed HHS to provide about $900 million to the providers, who serve about 10.5 million patients in underserved areas.