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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
rural providers; loan repayment program
Purpose
Exempts certain State Loan Repayment Program (Program) applicants from sliding fee scale requirements.
Background
The Program is administered by the Department of Health Services (DHS) and consists of the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (PCPLRP) for public, non-profit providers and the Rural Private Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (RPPCPLRP) for specified health care providers in rural private practice sites who meet prescribed criteria. Both Programs seek to promote the recruitment and retention of physicians, dentists, pharmacists, advance practice providers and behavioral health providers through the repayment of qualifying educational loans for participating health care professionals who enter into a two-year contract to provide primary care services in federally designated health professional shortage areas or medically underserved areas in Arizona (DHS). Statue requires DHS to designate areas of medical need as medically underserved if: 1) the area is designated as a health professional shortage area as defined by federal law; or 2) the area is designated as medically underserved by DHS utilizing an index that measures specified indicators (A.R.S. §§ 36-2172; 36-2174; and 36-2352).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Specifies that PCPLRP applicants who work at an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility, tribal or urban Indian health facility are not required to provide a sliding fee scale in order to be eligible for participation in the PCPLRP.
2. Specifies that RPPCPLRP applicants who work at an IHS or tribal facility are not required to provide a sliding fee scale in order to be eligible for participation in the RPPCPLRP.
3. Exempts DHS from rulemaking requirements for 18 months after the effective date of this legislation.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
HHS 1/25/21 DP 9-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/8/21 47-11-1-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 1, 2021
CRS/kja