36-2174
|
36-2174. Rural private primary care provider loan repayment program; private practice A. Subject to the availability of monies, the department of health services shall establish a rural private primary care provider loan repayment program for physicians, dentists and mid-level providers with current or prospective rural primary care practices located in medically underserved areas in this state, as prescribed in section 36-2352. To be eligible to participate in the program an applicant shall agree to provide organized, discounted, sliding fee scale services for medically uninsured individuals from families with annual incomes below two hundred per cent of the federal poverty guidelines as established annually by the United States department of health and human services. The department shall approve the sliding fee scale used by the provider. The provider shall assure notice to consumers of the availability of these services. The department shall give preference to applicants who agree to serve in rural areas. For the purposes of this subsection, "rural" means either of the following: 1. A county with a population of less than four hundred thousand persons according to the most recent United States decennial census. 2. A census county division with less than fifty thousand persons in a county with a population of four hundred thousand or more persons according to the most recent United States decennial census. B. Except as provided in section 36-2172, subsection B, paragraph 2, the program established pursuant to this section and loan repayment contracts made pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements of section 36-2172. C. The department of health services may apply for and receive private donations and grant monies to implement the rural private primary care provider loan repayment program established pursuant to this section. |