Bill Text: MS HB1120 | 2011 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Rural Physicians Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program Act; create.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-03-01 - Died In Committee [HB1120 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-HB1120-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services
By: Representatives Brown, Holland, Dedeaux, Walley, Reynolds, Perkins, Stevens, Clarke
House Bill 1120
(As Passed the House)
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE RURAL PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM ACT FOR THE PURPOSES OF CREATING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT PHYSICIANS TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN RURAL AND MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE THE NUMBER OF YEARS REQUIRED TO BE SERVED BY A PHYSICIAN IN A RURAL OR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY AND THE AMOUNT AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT; TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE MISSISSIPPI RURAL PHYSICIANS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT BENEFITS; TO DIRECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; TO PRESCRIBE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICIANS SEEKING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THE GRANTS SHALL BE AWARDED SUBJECT TO AVAILABLE FUNDING; TO REQUIRE GRANT RECIPIENTS TO ENTER INTO A WRITTEN GRANT CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; TO REQUIRE THE PROGRAM TO MAKE EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AN INITIAL PRACTICE ENTRY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program Act."
SECTION 2. (1) There is established the Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program for the purpose and intent of providing financial assistance to encourage physicians to locate in and remain in the practice of primary care medicine in rural or medically underserved communities in Mississippi, as designated by the State Department of Health. (2) Any physician who commits to locate for a minimum of five (5) years in and carry on a full-time practice of primary care medicine in a rural or medically underserved community, as designated by the State Department of Health, shall be entitled to receive grants totaling Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) to be paid to the participating physician over five (5) years. The first payment of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) shall be made when the physician is practicing full time and patients are being seen in the office. The second, third, fourth and fifth payment installments of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) each shall be made after completion of each continuous year of service.
SECTION 3. Individuals who participate in and successfully complete the Mississippi Rural Scholarship Program as set forth in Chapter 144, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be eligible to apply for benefits under the Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program.
SECTION 4. The State Department of Health, in consultation with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the Mississippi State Medical Association, and the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association, shall administer the Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program and shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) Accepting applications for grants under the program;
(b) Determining the eligibility of applicants and granting or denying such grants from any funds available;
(c) Adopting and enforcing appropriate rules and regulations regarding forms designed to be used by applicants for grants and eligibility of applicants;
(d) Developing criteria for evaluating and designating rural and medically underserved communities for the purposes of the program;
(e) Developing the administrative policy for the program;
(f) Promulgating rules and regulations pertaining to the implementation and operation of the program;
(g) Developing and implementing strategies and activities for the identification and recruitment of physicians and for marketing the program and for the implementation of the program. In developing these strategies, the department shall seek the input of various organizations and entities, including the Mississippi State Medical Association, the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians, the Mississippi Chapters of the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of OB-GYN, the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association and the Mississippi Osteopathic Medicine Association;
(h) Establishing a budget to support the activities of the program and periodically reviewing, and if appropriate, revising, the grants offered through the program;
(i) Reviewing the progress of and mentoring physicians participating in the program;
(j) Developing and participating in programs that provide initial practice support in collaboration with other interested professional organizations; and
(k) Any other rules and regulations as the department may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and intent of the program and to prevent abuse relating to the program.
SECTION 5. (1) Eligibility for participation in the Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program shall be limited to persons licensed to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi who, after July 1, 2011, establish a full-time practice of primary care medicine in a rural or medically underserved community in this state, as designated by the State Department of Health.
(2) Grants shall be awarded on the basis of available funds, with priority given to those rural or underserved communities having the greatest need. Not more than ten (10) grants per year may be made under the program.
(3) Grant recipients shall enter into a contract to serve a proportionate number of Medicaid patients for the community, agree to work within the existing health care system and perform a weekly minimum of forty (40) office hours.
SECTION 6. The department shall enter into a grant contract agreement with each recipient of a Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant that requires the grant recipient to execute a written grant contract agreement which incorporates the following obligations and conditions:
(a) The recipient of a grant shall commit to provide five (5) continuous years of primary care services in accordance with Section 2 of this act;
(b) If any recipient of a grant under this act does not engage in the practice of primary care services in accordance with the terms of this section, the recipient shall be obligated to repay the grant amounts received together with interest thereon at the maximum rate allowed by Mississippi law or the federal discount rate plus five percent (5%) per year, whichever is less, the interest to accrue from the date each payment of funds was received by the recipient.
(c) No interest shall accrue nor obligation to repay the principal sums accrued during any one (1) period of time that the recipient involuntarily serves on active duty in the United States Armed Forces; and
(d) Repayment of principal with interest shall be due and payable in full at the earliest, on the occurrence of either of the following events:
(i) Failure to remain in the original rural community for five (5) continuous years for any reason other than temporary personal illness; or
(ii) Failure to practice primary care on a regularly sustained basis as provided in the eligibility requirements of Section 5 of this act.
SECTION 7. The Rural Physician Recruitment and Retention Incentive Grant Program, acting through the State Department of Health, shall make every effort to establish an initial practice entry support system for participants in the program.
SECTION 8. Sections 1 through 7 of this act shall stand repealed on July 1, 2016.
SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.
