; and (ii) informing applicants to physician assistant positions of their eligibility for the Education Debt Reduction Program. (C) Monitoring compliance with the application process for educational assistance programs described in paragraph (1) to ensure that such programs are being fully utilized to carry out this section. (D) Creating programs, including through the use of the Department of Veterans Affairs Employee Incentive Scholarship Program under subchapter VI of chapter 76 of such title, to encourage employees of the Department to apply to accredited physician assistant programs. (b) Increase of amounts To the maximum extent practicable, for each year during the five-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall increase (as compared to the previous year) the scholarship amounts provided to individuals under subchapters II and VI of chapter 76 of title 38, United States Code, and any other relevant educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, for courses of education or training to become physician assistants of the Department. (c) Regulations The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as the Secretary considers appropriate to carry out this section. 5. Pay grades for physician assistants of the Department of Veterans Affairs and competitive pay requirements (a) Establishment of pay grades Section 7404(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT SCHEDULE Physician Assistant IV. Physician Assistant III. Physician Assistant II. Physician Assistant I. . (b) Competitive pay Section 7451(a)(2) of such title is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B): (B) Physician assistant.