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Senate File 285 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the establishment of a psychiatric
2practitioner loan repayment program and fund.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.191 Psychiatric practitioner
2loan repayment program and fund.
31. For the purposes of this section:
4a. “Psychiatric practitioner” means a psychiatrist, advanced
5registered nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant.
6b. “Qualified provider” means a community mental health
7center designated in accordance with chapter 230A, a provider
8designated to serve as the community mental health center by
9the county in which the provider is located, or a health care
10provider that is a nonprofit organization which is exempt
11from federal income taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of
12the Internal Revenue Code serving patients of whom at least
13sixty-five percent are Medicaid program recipients that is
14located in an area that is not a federally designated health
15professional shortage area.
162. The department shall establish a psychiatric
17practitioner loan repayment program to provide loan repayment
18to psychiatric practitioners who comply with the requirements
19of the program and are employed by qualified providers.
203. An applicant for loan repayment under this section shall,
21in accordance with the rules of the department, do all of the
22following:
23a. Complete and file an application, including any
24information required by the department. The applicant shall
25be responsible for the prompt submission of any information
26required by the department.
27b. Complete and return, on a form approved by the
28department, an affidavit of practice verifying that the
29applicant is a psychiatric practitioner employed by a qualified
30provider.
314. A program agreement shall provide that in order to
32receive loan repayment under this section, the individual shall
33agree to engage in practice as a psychiatric practitioner with
34a qualified provider for a period of at least four consecutive
35years.
-1- 15. a. A psychiatric practitioner who meets the requirements
2of this section is eligible for loan repayments for not more
3than four consecutive years.
4b. The annual amount of loan repayment awarded to a
5psychiatric practitioner under this section shall be based on
6the amount of the psychiatric practitioner’s outstanding loans
7and shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars for each
8completed full-time work year which commences upon employment
9with a qualified provider. For psychiatric practitioners who
10work less than full-time, the loan repayment shall not exceed
11an amount that is prorated according to the number of hours
12worked.
13c. A psychiatric practitioner receiving loan repayment
14under this section shall file an application annually and shall
15submit information as required by the department on the basis
16of which the applicant’s continued eligibility for the loan
17repayment program will be evaluated and determined.
186. A psychiatric practitioner loan repayment fund is
19created as a separate fund in the state treasury under the
20control of the department for deposit of moneys appropriated
21to or received by the department for use under the program.
22Moneys credited to the fund are appropriated to the department
23for purposes of the psychiatric practitioner loan repayment
24program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys deposited in
25the fund shall not revert to any fund of the state at the end
26of any fiscal year but shall remain in the loan repayment fund
27and be continuously available for loan repayment under the
28program. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest
29or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited
30to the fund.
317. The department shall submit in a report to the general
32assembly by January 1, annually, the number of psychiatric
33practitioners who received loan repayments pursuant to this
34section, the amount paid to each psychiatric practitioner under
35this section, the amount of moneys remaining in the fund, and
-2-1any other information the department deems appropriate.
28. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A
3to administer this section.
4EXPLANATION
5The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
6the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
7This bill directs the department of public health (DPH) to
8establish a psychiatric practitioner loan repayment program to
9be administered by the department to provide repayment of loans
10to psychiatric practitioners who comply with the requirements
11of the program and are employed by a qualified provider.
12The bill defines “psychiatric practitioner” as a
13psychiatrist, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or a
14physician assistant; and “qualified provider” as a community
15mental health center, a provider designated to serve as the
16community mental health center by the county in which the
17provider is located, or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mental health
18provider that serves patients, of whom at least 65 percent are
19Medicaid program recipients that is located in an area that is
20not a federally designated health professional shortage area.
21The bill requires an applicant to complete and file an
22application, including any information required by the
23department, and complete and return on a form approved by
24the department, an affidavit of practice verifying that the
25applicant is a psychiatric practitioner employed by a qualified
26provider.
27The program agreement is to provide that in order to
28receive loan repayment, the individual shall agree to engage
29in practice as a psychiatric practitioner with a qualified
30provider for a period of at least four consecutive years.
31A psychiatric practitioner is eligible for loan repayments
32for not more than four consecutive years. The annual amount
33of the loan repayment awarded shall be based on the amount of
34the psychiatric practitioner’s outstanding loans and shall not
35exceed $25,000 for each completed full-time work year which
-3-1commences upon employment with a qualified provider. For
2psychiatric practitioners who work less than full-time, the
3loan repayment shall not exceed an amount that is prorated
4according to the number of hours worked.
5A psychiatric practitioner receiving loan repayment shall
6file an application annually and shall submit information
7as required by the department on the basis of which the
8applicant’s continued eligibility for the loan repayment
9program will be evaluated and determined.
10The bill establishes a psychiatric practitioner loan
11repayment fund as a separate fund in the state treasury under
12the control of the department of public health for deposit
13of moneys appropriated to or received by the department
14for use under the program. Moneys credited to the fund are
15appropriated to the department for purposes of the program.
16The moneys in the fund do not revert to any fund at the end of
17any fiscal year but remain in the loan repayment fund and are
18continuously available for loan repayment under the program.
19Interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be
20credited to the fund.
21The bill requires the department to submit in a report to
22the general assembly by January 1, annually, the number of
23psychiatric practitioners who received loan repayments, the
24amount paid to each psychiatric practitioner, the amount of
25moneys remaining in the fund, and any other information the
26department deems appropriate.
27The department is required to adopt rules to administer the
28bill.
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2practitioner loan repayment program and fund.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.191 Psychiatric practitioner
2loan repayment program and fund.
31. For the purposes of this section:
4a. “Psychiatric practitioner” means a psychiatrist, advanced
5registered nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant.
6b. “Qualified provider” means a community mental health
7center designated in accordance with chapter 230A, a provider
8designated to serve as the community mental health center by
9the county in which the provider is located, or a health care
10provider that is a nonprofit organization which is exempt
11from federal income taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of
12the Internal Revenue Code serving patients of whom at least
13sixty-five percent are Medicaid program recipients that is
14located in an area that is not a federally designated health
15professional shortage area.
162. The department shall establish a psychiatric
17practitioner loan repayment program to provide loan repayment
18to psychiatric practitioners who comply with the requirements
19of the program and are employed by qualified providers.
203. An applicant for loan repayment under this section shall,
21in accordance with the rules of the department, do all of the
22following:
23a. Complete and file an application, including any
24information required by the department. The applicant shall
25be responsible for the prompt submission of any information
26required by the department.
27b. Complete and return, on a form approved by the
28department, an affidavit of practice verifying that the
29applicant is a psychiatric practitioner employed by a qualified
30provider.
314. A program agreement shall provide that in order to
32receive loan repayment under this section, the individual shall
33agree to engage in practice as a psychiatric practitioner with
34a qualified provider for a period of at least four consecutive
35years.
-1- 15. a. A psychiatric practitioner who meets the requirements
2of this section is eligible for loan repayments for not more
3than four consecutive years.
4b. The annual amount of loan repayment awarded to a
5psychiatric practitioner under this section shall be based on
6the amount of the psychiatric practitioner’s outstanding loans
7and shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars for each
8completed full-time work year which commences upon employment
9with a qualified provider. For psychiatric practitioners who
10work less than full-time, the loan repayment shall not exceed
11an amount that is prorated according to the number of hours
12worked.
13c. A psychiatric practitioner receiving loan repayment
14under this section shall file an application annually and shall
15submit information as required by the department on the basis
16of which the applicant’s continued eligibility for the loan
17repayment program will be evaluated and determined.
186. A psychiatric practitioner loan repayment fund is
19created as a separate fund in the state treasury under the
20control of the department for deposit of moneys appropriated
21to or received by the department for use under the program.
22Moneys credited to the fund are appropriated to the department
23for purposes of the psychiatric practitioner loan repayment
24program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys deposited in
25the fund shall not revert to any fund of the state at the end
26of any fiscal year but shall remain in the loan repayment fund
27and be continuously available for loan repayment under the
28program. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest
29or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited
30to the fund.
317. The department shall submit in a report to the general
32assembly by January 1, annually, the number of psychiatric
33practitioners who received loan repayments pursuant to this
34section, the amount paid to each psychiatric practitioner under
35this section, the amount of moneys remaining in the fund, and
-2-1any other information the department deems appropriate.
28. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A
3to administer this section.
4EXPLANATION
5The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
6the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
7This bill directs the department of public health (DPH) to
8establish a psychiatric practitioner loan repayment program to
9be administered by the department to provide repayment of loans
10to psychiatric practitioners who comply with the requirements
11of the program and are employed by a qualified provider.
12The bill defines “psychiatric practitioner” as a
13psychiatrist, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or a
14physician assistant; and “qualified provider” as a community
15mental health center, a provider designated to serve as the
16community mental health center by the county in which the
17provider is located, or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mental health
18provider that serves patients, of whom at least 65 percent are
19Medicaid program recipients that is located in an area that is
20not a federally designated health professional shortage area.
21The bill requires an applicant to complete and file an
22application, including any information required by the
23department, and complete and return on a form approved by
24the department, an affidavit of practice verifying that the
25applicant is a psychiatric practitioner employed by a qualified
26provider.
27The program agreement is to provide that in order to
28receive loan repayment, the individual shall agree to engage
29in practice as a psychiatric practitioner with a qualified
30provider for a period of at least four consecutive years.
31A psychiatric practitioner is eligible for loan repayments
32for not more than four consecutive years. The annual amount
33of the loan repayment awarded shall be based on the amount of
34the psychiatric practitioner’s outstanding loans and shall not
35exceed $25,000 for each completed full-time work year which
-3-1commences upon employment with a qualified provider. For
2psychiatric practitioners who work less than full-time, the
3loan repayment shall not exceed an amount that is prorated
4according to the number of hours worked.
5A psychiatric practitioner receiving loan repayment shall
6file an application annually and shall submit information
7as required by the department on the basis of which the
8applicant’s continued eligibility for the loan repayment
9program will be evaluated and determined.
10The bill establishes a psychiatric practitioner loan
11repayment fund as a separate fund in the state treasury under
12the control of the department of public health for deposit
13of moneys appropriated to or received by the department
14for use under the program. Moneys credited to the fund are
15appropriated to the department for purposes of the program.
16The moneys in the fund do not revert to any fund at the end of
17any fiscal year but remain in the loan repayment fund and are
18continuously available for loan repayment under the program.
19Interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be
20credited to the fund.
21The bill requires the department to submit in a report to
22the general assembly by January 1, annually, the number of
23psychiatric practitioners who received loan repayments, the
24amount paid to each psychiatric practitioner, the amount of
25moneys remaining in the fund, and any other information the
26department deems appropriate.
27The department is required to adopt rules to administer the
28bill.
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