Title III, SEC. 3101. FEDERAL FORMULA PAYMENTS TO ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTERS. (a) In General. (1) Formula payments. In the case of any academic health center that submits to the Secretary a written request for a calendar year in accordance with section 3102, the Secretary shall make payments for such year to the center for the purpose specified in subsection (b). The Secretary shall make the payments in an amount determined in accordance with section 3103, and shall administer the payments as a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. (2) Applicable years. Payments under paragraph (1) may not be made before calendar year 1998, except that the Secretary may make such payments before such year to eligible programs in any State that has become a participating State under title I. (b) Payments for Costs Attributable to Academic Nature of Centers. The purpose of payments under subsection (a) is to assist academic health centers with costs that are not routinely incurred by other entities in providing health services, but are incurred by such centers in providing health services by virtue of the academic nature of such centers. (c) Academic Health Centers. For purposes of this subtitle, the term ``academic health center'' means an entity that operates a teaching hospital that carries out an approved physician training program (as defined in section 3011(b)).