By Rangel H.B. No. 2192
75R6846 SMH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of a physician recruitment program
1-3 for medically underserved areas.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 106, Health and Safety Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER E. TEXAS HEALTH SERVICE CORPS PROGRAM
1-8 FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS
1-9 Sec. 106.101. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
1-10 (1) "Medically underserved area" means an area
1-11 designated by the United States Secretary of Health and Human
1-12 Services as having:
1-13 (A) a shortage of personal health services or a
1-14 population group that has such a shortage as provided by 42 U.S.C.
1-15 Section 300e-1(7); or
1-16 (B) a health professional shortage as provided
1-17 by 42 U.S.C. Section 254e(a)(1).
1-18 (2) "Physician" means a resident physician who is
1-19 enrolled in an accredited residency training program in this state
1-20 in the specialty of:
1-21 (A) family practice;
1-22 (B) general internal medicine;
1-23 (C) general pediatric medicine; or
1-24 (D) general obstetrics and gynecology.
2-1 Sec. 106.102. TEXAS HEALTH SERVICE CORPS PROGRAM. (a) The
2-2 executive committee shall establish a program in the center to
2-3 assist communities in recruiting and retaining physicians to
2-4 practice in medically underserved areas.
2-5 (b) The executive committee by rule shall establish:
2-6 (1) eligibility criteria for applicants;
2-7 (2) stipend application procedures;
2-8 (3) guidelines relating to stipend amounts;
2-9 (4) procedures for evaluating stipend applications;
2-10 and
2-11 (5) a system of priorities relating to the:
2-12 (A) geographic areas covered;
2-13 (B) medical specialties eligible to receive
2-14 funding under the program; and
2-15 (C) level of stipend support.
2-16 Sec. 106.103. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The executive committee
2-17 shall adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter, and the
2-18 center shall administer the program in accordance with those rules.
2-19 (b) The center shall conduct field research, collect
2-20 information, and prepare statistical and other reports relating to
2-21 the need for the program.
2-22 (c) The center may not spend for the center's administrative
2-23 costs more than 10 percent of the amount appropriated to administer
2-24 this subchapter.
2-25 Sec. 106.104. REQUIRED CONTRACT. (a) The center may award
2-26 a stipend to a physician under this subchapter if the physician
2-27 enters into a written contract to provide services in a medically
3-1 underserved area for at least one year for each year that the
3-2 physician receives the stipend.
3-3 (b) The contract must provide that if the physician does not
3-4 provide the required services in the medically underserved area or
3-5 provides those services for less than the required term, the
3-6 physician is personally liable to the state for:
3-7 (1) the total amount of the stipend the physician
3-8 receives;
3-9 (2) interest on that total amount for the period
3-10 beginning on the date the physician signs the contract and ending
3-11 on the date the physician repays the amount of the stipend computed
3-12 at a rate equal to the sum of:
3-13 (A) the auction average rate quoted on a bank
3-14 discount basis for 26-week treasury bills issued by the United
3-15 States government, as published by the Federal Reserve Board, for
3-16 the week preceding the week in which the contract is signed; and
3-17 (B) five percent; and
3-18 (3) the state's reasonable expenses incurred in
3-19 obtaining payment, including reasonable attorney's fees.
3-20 Sec. 106.105. STIPENDS. (a) The center shall award
3-21 stipends to physicians for one-year periods. A stipend awarded
3-22 under this subchapter may not exceed $15,000 each year.
3-23 (b) The center may renew a stipend used to assist a
3-24 particular physician.
3-25 (c) A physician is not eligible for a stipend under this
3-26 subchapter for a period longer than is ordinarily and customarily
3-27 required for the completion of residency training for first board
4-1 eligibility.
4-2 (d) A physician who receives a stipend under this subchapter
4-3 is not eligible to receive assistance under a state educational
4-4 loan repayment program or other state incentive program.
4-5 Sec. 106.106. FUNDING. The center may seek, receive, and
4-6 spend money received through an appropriation, grant, donation, or
4-7 reimbursement from any public or private source to administer this
4-8 subchapter.
4-9 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
4-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-15 passage, and it is so enacted.