January 30, 2013, Introduced by Reps. Foster and Ananich and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled
"Public health code,"
(MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211) by adding part 27A.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
PART 27A
Sec. 2751. (1) This part shall be known and may be cited as
the "frontline health provider program".
(2) As used in this part:
(a) "Cost of attendance" means that term as defined in 20 USC
1087ll.
(b) "Critical needs areas" means all of the following:
(i) Health professional shortage areas in this state. As used
in this subparagraph, "health professional shortage area" means
that term as defined in 42 USC 254e.
(ii) Other areas of the state designated by the department as
critical needs areas, in consultation with the Michigan area health
education center established under 42 USC 294a.
(c) "Designated frontline health practice" means providing
primary care to patients while engaged in any of the following:
(i) The practice of medicine, as defined in section 17001, by a
physician licensed under part 170, or the practice of osteopathic
medicine and surgery, as defined in section 17501, by a physician
licensed under part 175, in any of the following specialty fields:
(A) Family medicine.
(B) Internal medicine.
(C) Obstetrics.
(D) Gynecology.
(E) Pediatrics.
(ii) The practice of podiatric medicine and surgery, as defined
in section 18001, by a podiatrist licensed under part 180.
(iii) The practice of dentistry, as defined in section 16601, by
a dentist licensed under part 166.
(iv) The practice of optometry, as defined in section 17401, by
an optometrist licensed under part 174.
(d) "Designated health professional" means any of the
following:
(i) A physician licensed under part 170 or 175.
(ii) A podiatrist licensed under part 180.
(iii) A dentist licensed under part 166.
(iv) An optometrist licensed under part 174.
(e) "Fund" means the frontline health provider program fund
created in section 2761.
(f) "Qualified education loan" means indebtedness incurred by
a student to pay his or her cost of attendance of a qualified
school.
(g) "Qualified school" means any of the following, if approved
by the department:
(i) A medical school.
(ii) A podiatric medical school.
(iii) A school of dental medicine.
(iv) A school of optometry.
(h) "Qualified state school" means a qualified school that is
operated by a university described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article
VIII of the state constitution of 1963.
Sec. 2753. The frontline health provider program is created,
to be administered by the department. The department shall do all
of the following:
(a) Award grants under section 2757 to eligible designated
health professionals to repay all or part of their state and
federal qualified education loans.
(b) Develop a grant agreement to be entered into by the
recipient of a grant under section 2757 and the department that
contains the terms of the grant made under section 2757 and the
rights and obligations of the grant recipient and the department.
(c) Collect repayment of grants if required under section
2757.
(d) Conduct periodic audits of grant recipients to ensure
compliance with the terms of the grant agreement and take necessary
steps to enforce the terms of those agreements.
(e) Promulgate any rules it considers necessary to implement
and administer this part under the administrative procedures act of
1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.
Sec. 2755. The department shall do all of the following:
(a) Determine and designate the areas of the state that are
critical needs areas for primary health care in which loan
repayment grant recipients may engage in a designated frontline
health practice in order to fulfill their contractual obligation.
(b) Determine the priority of additional primary health care
practioners who are eligible to participate in the loan repayment
grant program using any national health service corps matching
funds or other money other than money appropriated by the
legislature.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect
unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4137(request no.
00734'13) of the 97th Legislature is enacted into law.