261.128 - HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL INCENTIVE PAYMENT PROGRAM -- REPEAL.
261.128 HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL INCENTIVE PAYMENT
PROGRAM -- REPEAL.
1. The commission shall establish a health care professional
incentive payment program to recruit and retain health care
professionals in this state. Funding for the program may be provided
through the health care workforce shortage fund or the health care
professional and nurse workforce shortage initiative account created
in section 135.175.
2. The commission shall administer the incentive payment program
with the assistance of Des Moines university -- osteopathic medical
center.
3. The commission, with the assistance of Des Moines university
-- osteopathic medical center, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter
17A relating to the establishment and administration of the health
care professional incentive payment program. The rules adopted shall
address all of the following:
a. Eligibility and qualification requirements for a health
care professional, a community, and a health care employer to
participate in the incentive payment program. Any community in the
state and all health care specialties shall be considered for
participation. However, health care employers located in and
communities that are designated as medically underserved areas or
populations or that are designated as health professional shortage
areas by the health resources and services administration of the
United States department of health and human services shall have
first priority in the awarding of incentive payments.
(1) To be eligible, a health care professional at a minimum must
not have any unserved obligations to a federal, state, or local
government or other entity that would prevent compliance with
obligations under the agreement for the incentive payment; must have
a current and unrestricted license to practice the professional's
respective profession; and must be able to begin full-time clinical
practice upon signing an agreement for an incentive payment.
(2) To be eligible, a community must provide a clinical setting
for full-time practice of a health care professional and must provide
a fifty thousand dollar matching contribution for a physician and a
fifteen thousand dollar matching contribution for any other health
care professional to receive an equal amount of state matching funds.
(3) To be eligible, a health care employer must provide a
clinical setting for a full-time practice of a health care
professional and must provide a fifty thousand dollar matching
contribution for a physician and a fifteen thousand dollar matching
contribution for any other health care professional to receive an
equal amount of state matching funds.
b. The process for awarding incentive payments. The
commission shall receive recommendations from the department of
public health regarding selection of incentive payment recipients.
The process shall require each recipient to enter into an agreement
with the commission that specifies the obligations of the recipient
and the commission prior to receiving the incentive payment.
c. Public awareness regarding the program including
notification of potential health care professionals, communities, and
health care employers about the program and dissemination of
applications to appropriate entities.
d. Measures regarding all of the following:
(1) The amount of the incentive payment and the specifics of
obligated service for an incentive payment recipient. An incentive
payment recipient shall agree to provide service in full-time
clinical practice for a minimum of four consecutive years. If an
incentive payment recipient is sponsored by a community or health
care employer, the obligated service shall be provided in the
sponsoring community or health care employer location. An incentive
payment recipient sponsored by a health care employer shall agree to
provide health care services as specified in an employment agreement
with the sponsoring health care employer.
(2) Determination of the conditions of the incentive payment
applicable to an incentive payment recipient. At the time of
approval for participation in the program, an incentive payment
recipient shall be required to submit proof of indebtedness incurred
as the result of obtaining loans to pay for educational costs
resulting in a degree in health sciences. For the purposes of this
subparagraph, "indebtedness" means debt incurred from obtaining a
government or commercial loan for actual costs paid for tuition,
reasonable education expenses, and reasonable living expenses related
to the graduate, undergraduate, or associate education of a health
care professional.
(3) Enforcement of the state's rights under an incentive payment
agreement, including the commencement of any court action. A
recipient who fails to fulfill the requirements of the incentive
payment agreement is subject to repayment of the incentive payment in
an amount equal to the amount of the incentive payment. A recipient
who fails to meet the requirements of the incentive payment agreement
may also be subject to repayment of moneys advanced by a community or
health care employer as provided in any agreement with the community
or employer.
(4) A process for monitoring compliance with eligibility
requirements, obligated service provisions, and use of funds by
recipients to verify eligibility of recipients and to ensure that
state, federal, and other matching funds are used in accordance with
program requirements.
(5) The use of the funds received. Any portion of the incentive
payment that is attributable to federal funds shall be used as
required by the federal entity providing the funds. Any portion of
the incentive payment that is attributable to state funds shall first
be used toward payment of any outstanding loan indebtedness of the
recipient. The remaining portion of the incentive payment shall be
used as specified in the incentive payment agreement.
4. A recipient is responsible for reporting on federal income tax
forms any amount received through the program, to the extent required
by federal law. Incentive payments received through the program by a
recipient in compliance with the requirements of the incentive
payment program are exempt from state income taxation.
5. This section is repealed June 30, 2014. Section History: Recent Form
2009 Acts, ch 118, §51, 54
Referred to in § 135.175, 261.2 Footnotes
Implementation of section conditioned upon availability of
funding; 2009 Acts, ch 118, §54