Amend SB 354 by adding the following appropriately numbered
SECTION to the bill and renumbering the remaining SECTIONS as
appropriate:
      SECTION ____.  (a)  The Center for Rural Health Initiatives
shall conduct a study on the establishment of a visiting physician
program to provide temporary relief to rural physicians.  The study
must include an assessment of:
            (1)  the need for and potential utilization of a
visiting physician program;
            (2)  the methods to provide primary care on-site to
patients in rural areas when a rural physician is away from the
physician's practice for a short period of time to attend
continuing medical education classes or for other reasons; and
            (3)  the factors required to implement a visiting
physician program, including the required training for visiting
physicians, insurance requirements, reimbursement for services and
expenses, and other factors that would affect the successful
implementation of the program.
      (b)  The Center for Rural Health Initiatives shall actively
seek the participation of and relevant information from public
medical schools, health science centers, professional physician
associations, and practicing rural physicians.
      (c)  Not later than November 1, 2000, the Center for Rural
Health Initiatives shall report the results of the study to the
presiding officers of the house of representatives and senate and
to the standing committees of the house of representatives and
senate that have primary jurisdiction over the Center for Rural
Health Initiatives.