HB 2753
Initials CH Page 1 Education
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
First Regular Session
HB 2753: graduate medical education; residency programs
Sponsor: Representative Peña, LD 23
Committee on Education
Overview
Requires the Arizona Area Health Education System (System) to establish a program for
qualifying health centers and rural health clinics that supports the expansion of primary care
residency programs. Appropriates monies to the System for specified programs.
History
System
Established in the University of Arizona College of Medicine by the Arizona Board of Regents
(ABOR), the System consists of six area health education centers, five of which represent a
geographic area with identified populations that lack services by the health care professions and
one representing the Indian health care delivery system. Each center conducts physician and
other health professional education programs (such as undergraduate clinical training programs,
graduate programs and postgraduate continuing education), programs to recruit and retain
minority students in health professions and continuing education programs for health
professionals. The System provides administrative services to each center (A.R.S. § 15-1643).
Primary Care Graduate Medical Education (GME)
Laws 2021, Chapter 81 directs the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to
establish, contingent on approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a separate
GME program to reimburse qualifying community health centers and rural health clinics that have
an approved primary care GME program. AHCCCS must distribute monies appropriated for GME
to approved centers and clinics for the costs of approved primary care GME programs.
Additionally, AHCCCS must coordinate with local, county and tribal governments and universities
under ABOR's jurisdiction that provide funding (in addition to state General Fund (GF) monies
appropriated for primary care GME) in order to qualify for additional matching federal monies.
A qualifying community health center is a community-based primary care facility that provides
medical care in or to medically underserved areas or populations through the employment of
specified health professionals (A.R.S. § 36-2907.06).
GME is a program that prepares a physician for the independent practice of medicine by providing
didactic and clinical education in a medical discipline to a medical student who has completed a
recognized undergraduate medical education program (A.R.S. § 36-2901).
Provisions
System Program to Expand Primary Care Residency Programs
1. Instructs the System, by March 1, 2024, to establish a program for qualifying community health
centers and rural health clinics that:
a) supports and expands the number of primary care residency positions;
b) provides support and technical assistance for starting or expanding primary care residency
programs in rural areas and health professional shortage areas; and
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c) facilitates information and resource sharing and provides training and technical assistance
to support the success of qualifying community health center and rural health clinic primary
care residency programs. (Sec. 1)
2. Defines primary care. (Sec. 1)
3. Appropriates $5,000,000 onetime from the state GF in FY 2024 to the System for the program
to expand primary care residency programs for qualifying community health centers and rural
health clinics. (Sec. 2)
4. Authorizes the System to use up to $500,000 of the appropriation to support a collaborative
of qualifying community health centers' and rural health clinics' primary care residency
programs. (Sec. 2)
5. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing. (Sec. 2)
Primary Care GME at Qualifying Community Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics
6. Appropriates $5,000,000 from the state General Fund in FYs 2024-2026 to AHCCCS for the
direct and indirect costs of primary care GME at qualifying community health centers and rural
health clinics. (Sec. 3)
7. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing. (Sec. 3)
Miscellaneous
8. Makes conforming changes. (Sec. 1)