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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing loan repayment assistance for physicians |
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providing services to certain patients. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.532, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.532. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive |
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repayment assistance, a physician must: |
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(1) apply to the coordinating board; |
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(2) at the time of application, be licensed to |
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practice medicine under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code; |
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(3) have completed one, two, three, or four |
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consecutive years of practice: |
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(A) in a health professional shortage area |
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designated by the Department of State Health Services; or |
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(B) in accordance with Subsection (b); and |
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(4) provide health care services to: |
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(A) recipients under the medical assistance |
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program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code; |
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(B) enrollees under the child health plan program |
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authorized by Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(C) persons committed to a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department [Youth Commission] or persons confined in a |
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secure correctional facility operated by or under contract with any |
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division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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(b) A physician may complete one or more years of practice |
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required by Subsection (a)(3) in a location other than a health |
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professional shortage area designated by the Department of State |
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Health Services if, during each year of eligibility, the physician |
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provides health care services to patients and at least 30 percent of |
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the patients receiving services from the physician are recipients |
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under the medical assistance program authorized by Chapter 32, |
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Human Resources Code, according to criteria established by the |
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board in consultation with the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. The Health and Human Services Commission shall verify |
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a physician's compliance with this subsection, and the board and |
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the commission shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.538, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a [A] physician |
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may receive repayment assistance under this subchapter in the |
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amount determined by board rule, not to exceed the following |
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amounts for each year for which the physician establishes |
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eligibility for the assistance: |
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(1) for the first year, $25,000; |
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(2) for the second year, $35,000; |
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(3) for the third year, $45,000; and |
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(4) for the fourth year, $55,000. |
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(d) A physician who establishes eligibility under Section |
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61.532(b) may receive repayment assistance under this subchapter in |
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an amount that is not less than 20 percent of the original total |
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amount of the physician's loans for each year the physician |
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establishes eligibility for the assistance. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.5391, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The physician education loan repayment program account |
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is an account in the general revenue fund. The account is composed |
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of: |
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(1) gifts and grants contributed to the account; |
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(2) earnings on the principal of the account; and |
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(3) other amounts deposited to the credit of the |
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account, including: |
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(A) money deposited under Section 61.539(b) or |
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61.5392; |
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(B) legislative appropriations; and |
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(C) money deposited under Section 155.2415, Tax |
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Code. |
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(c) Money deposited to the credit of the account under |
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Section 61.5392 may be used only to provide loan repayment |
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assistance to physicians who establish eligibility for the |
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assistance under Section 61.532(a)(4)(A) or (b). |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter J, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.5392 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.5392. MEDICAID MATCHING FUNDS. (a) For the |
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purposes of this subchapter, the Health and Human Services |
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Commission shall seek any federal matching funds that are available |
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to support Medicaid services in this state. |
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(b) Any amount received under Subsection (a) shall be |
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transferred to the comptroller to be deposited in the physician |
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education loan repayment program account established under Section |
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61.5391. Section 403.095, Government Code, does not apply to any |
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amount deposited under this section. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than October 1, 2013, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board and the Health and Human Services |
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Commission shall enter into the memorandum of understanding |
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required by Section 61.532(b), Education Code, as added by this |
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Act. As soon as practicable after the date of the memorandum, the |
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board shall begin awarding loan repayment assistance to physicians |
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who establish eligibility under that subsection. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |