ESSENTIAL HEALTH PROVIDER PROGRAM                                                          S.B. 649:

                                                                                            SUMMARY AS ENROLLED

Senate Bill 649 (as enrolled)

Sponsor:  Senator Jim Marleau

Senate Committee:  Appropriations

House Committee:  Appropriations

Date Completed:  5-29-14

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Public Health Code to do the following with respect to the Michigan Essential Health Provider program:

-- Include dental students in the low-income minority student grant program.

-- Require an assessment of the lifetime cap on loan repayments (established by Senate Bill 648).

The Code directs the Department of Community Health to administer a grant program for low-income minority students enrolled in medical schools, nursing programs, and physician's assistant programs. (This grant program has not been funded and so has not been implemented.)

The bill would allow the grant program for low-income minority students to cover dental students as well as students enrolled in medical schools, nursing programs, and physician assistant's programs.

The bill also would require an assessment of the lifetime loan repayment maximum (established by Senate Bill 648) for those covered by the Michigan Essential Health Provider loan repayment program. The assessment would have to determine whether the cap was sufficient to facilitate the placement and retention of professionals in underserved areas and whether the maximum amount should be adjusted to reflect changes in tuition costs. In addition, the bill would require analyses of the return on investment of the low-income minority student grant program and the Michigan Essential Health Provider program

MCL 333.2707 & 333.2723

FISCAL IMPACT

The provision in Senate Bill 649 to extend the grant program to dental students would have no fiscal impact as that program has not been implemented. The assessment of the lifetime loan repayment cap and the return on investment of the programs would result in minor costs to the Department.

                                                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  Steve Angelotti

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.