PRINTER'S NO. 1006
No. 764 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, TILGHMAN, MOWERY, HELFRICK, LEMMOND,
SCARNATI, WAGNER, RHOADES, GERLACH, EARLL, KITCHEN, ROBBINS,
MADIGAN, ORIE, COSTA, GREENLEAF, KUKOVICH, O'PAKE, WAUGH,
THOMPSON, TARTAGLIONE, BOSCOLA, SCHWARTZ, STACK AND
JUBELIRER, MAY 17, 2001
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 17, 2001
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 2, 1992 (P.L.741, No.113), entitled
2 "An act providing a comprehensive plan for health care for
3 uninsured children; providing for medical education
4 assistance; making appropriations; and making repeals,"
5 further providing for the loan forgiveness for primary health
6 care practitioners.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 1303(d) and (e) of the act of December 2,
10 1992 (P.L.741, No.113), known as the Children's Health Care Act,
11 are amended to read:
12 Section 1303. Loan forgiveness for primary health care
13 practitioners.
14 * * *
15 (d) Eligibility.--Consideration for loan repayment
16 assistance shall be as follows:
17 (1) The applicant must be one of the following:
18 (i) An individual who:
1 (A) has a medical degree from an accredited
2 medical school or osteopathic medical college;
3 (B) has completed an approved graduate training
4 program in primary care medicine;
5 (C) is licensed to practice medicine in this
6 Commonwealth; and
7 (D) is board eligible in a primary care
8 specialty.
9 (ii) An individual who is licensed to practice
10 general dentistry in this Commonwealth.
11 (iii) An individual who holds a nursing degree from
12 an accredited nursing program and has completed a
13 training program for nurse practitioners or nurse
14 midwives.
15 (iv) An individual who has graduated from an
16 accredited program for physician assistants.
17 (v) An individual who:
18 (A) has a medical degree from an accredited
19 medical school or osteopathic medical college;
20 (B) has been accepted in the first year of an
21 approved graduate training program in primary care
22 medicine, which program is located in this
23 Commonwealth;
24 (C) has made a commitment and signed an
25 agreement to practice primary care medicine in a
26 medically underserved designated shortage area for
27 four years following completion of the primary care
28 residency program; and
29 (D) is licensed to practice medicine in this
30 Commonwealth.
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1 (2) An applicant who is qualified under paragraph [(1)]
2 (1)(i) through (iv) must agree to serve in a designated
3 medically underserved area of this Commonwealth as a primary
4 health care practitioner for not less than three years.
5 (e) Benefits.--
6 (1) A physician or dentist who is eligible under
7 subsection (d) shall be eligible to receive up to $64,000 in
8 loan exonerations based on the following schedule:
9 (i) Year one, 15%.
10 (ii) Year two, 20%.
11 (iii) Year three, 30%.
12 (iv) Year four, 35%.
13 (2) A nurse practitioner, physician assistant or nurse
14 midwife who is eligible under subsection (d) shall be
15 eligible to receive up to $40,000 in loan exonerations based
16 on the following repayment schedule:
17 (i) Year one, 15%.
18 (ii) Year two, 20%.
19 (iii) Year three, 30%.
20 (iv) Year four, 35%.
21 (3) A physician who is eligible under subsection
22 (d)(1)(v) shall be eligible to receive up to $64,000 in loan
23 exonerations based on the following schedule:
24 (i) Year one residency, $10,000.
25 (ii) Year two residency, $10,000.
26 (iii) Year three residency, $10,000.
27 (iv) Year one practice, 15% of the remaining $34,000
28 to which the physician is eligible.
29 (v) Year two practice, 20% of the remaining $34,000
30 to which the physician is eligible.
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1 (vi) Year three practice, 30% of the remaining
2 $34,000 to which the physician is eligible.
3 (vii) Year four practice, 35% of the remaining
4 $34,000 to which the physician is eligible.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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