General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 405
February Session, 2012 *_____SB00405FIN___050312____*
General Assembly
Substitute Bill No. 405
February Session, 2012
*_____SB00405FIN___050312____*
AN ACT CONCERNING TARGETED HEALTH AREAS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) On or after October 1, 2012, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the Commissioners of Public Health and Social Services, and a representative designated by the Connecticut State Medical Society shall, within available resources, designate as targeted health areas not more than ten municipalities that have (1) a medically-underserved population, or (2) a population with a high rate of chronic disease. Said commissioners and representative shall identify any needed medical specialty in any municipality designated as a targeted health area.
(b) Not later than October 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the Commissioners of Public Health and Social Services, shall evaluate whether any municipality designated as a targeted health area pursuant to subsection (a) of this section still meets the criteria for such designation. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development may remove the designation of any municipality that no longer meets the criteria for such designation, provided no such designation shall be removed less than five years after the original date of the municipality's designation as a targeted health area.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2012) (a) There is established within the Department of Economic and Community Development the Targeted Health Area program. Said program shall provide licensed physicians and physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act, with various forms of financial assistance, using a streamlined application process to expedite the delivery of such assistance. A licensed physician shall be eligible for assistance through said program if, as of the effective date of this section, such physician: (1) Is engaged in the active practice of primary care for adults or children or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act, and (2) practices in a municipality designated as a targeted health area pursuant to section 1 of this act. A physician office providing primary care services shall be eligible for assistance through said program if, as of the effective date of this section, such office: (A) Provides primary care services to adults or children or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act, (B) is located in an area designated as a targeted health area pursuant to section 1 of this act, and (C) is in good standing with the payment of all state and local taxes and with all state agencies.
(b) The Targeted Health Area program shall consist of various components, including (1) a revolving loan fund, as described in subsection (d) of this section, to support licensed physicians and physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act, (2) a licensed physician hiring incentive component, as described in subsection (e) of this section, to support the hiring of licensed physicians by physician offices providing primary care services, or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act, and (3) a matching grant component, as described in subsection (f) of this section, to provide capital to licensed physicians or physician offices providing primary care services that can match the state grant amount. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall work with eligible licensed physicians and physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act, to provide a package of assistance using not only the financial assistance provided by the Targeted Health Area program, but also any other appropriate tax credit or state program. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 32-5a of the general statutes, regarding relocation limits, the department may require as a condition of receiving financial assistance pursuant to this section, that a licensed physician or physician office providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act receiving such assistance shall not relocate, as defined in said section 32-5a, for five years after receiving such assistance. All other conditions and penalties imposed pursuant to said section 32-5a shall continue to apply to such licensed physician or physician office.
(c) The commissioner, in consultation with the officers of the Connecticut State Medical Society, shall establish a streamlined application process for the Targeted Health Area program. The licensed physician or physician office providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act may receive assistance pursuant to said program not later than thirty days after submitting a completed application to the department. Any such licensed physician or physician office, which meets the eligibility criteria in subsection (a) of this section, may apply to said program. The commissioner shall give priority for available funding to such licensed physicians and physician office in a manner that best addresses the health needs of the targeted health areas.
(d) (1) There is established as part of the Targeted Health Area program a revolving loan fund to provide loans to licensed physicians and physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act. Such loans shall be used for acquisition of medical equipment, construction or leasehold improvements, working capital or other business-related expenses, as authorized by the commissioner.
(2) Loans from the revolving loan fund may be in amounts from ten thousand dollars to a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars, shall carry a maximum repayment rate of four per cent and shall be for a term of not more than ten years. The department shall review and approve loan terms, conditions and collateral requirements in a manner that best addresses the health needs of the targeted health areas.
(3) Any such licensed physician or physician office meeting the eligibility criteria in subsection (a) of this section may apply for assistance from the revolving loan fund, but the commissioner shall give priority to such licensed physicians or physician offices that best address the health needs of the targeted health areas.
(e) (1) There is established as part of the Targeted Health Area program a licensed physician hiring incentive component to provide loans for hiring licensed physicians for physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act meeting the eligibility criteria in subsection (a) of this section, with the option of loan forgiveness based on the retention of any licensed physician hired and retained for not less than twelve consecutive months. Such loans may be used for training, marketing, working capital or other expenses, as approved by the commissioner, that support hiring such licensed physician.
(2) Loans under the licensed physician hiring incentive component may be in amounts from ten thousand dollars to a maximum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars. Payments on such loans may be deferred, and all or part of any such loan may be forgiven, based upon the commissioner's assessment of the physician office's attainment of hiring goals. The department shall review and approve loan terms, conditions and collateral requirements in a manner that prioritizes hiring licensed physicians that best address the health needs of the targeted health areas.
(f) (1) There is established as part of the Targeted Health Area program a matching grant component to provide grants for capital to physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act meeting the eligibility criteria in subsection (a) of this section. Such physician offices shall match any state funds awarded under this program. Grant funds may be used for ongoing or new training, working capital, acquisition of medical equipment, construction or leasehold improvements or other business-related expenses authorized by the commissioner.
(2) Matching grants provided under the matching grant component may be in amounts from ten thousand dollars to a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars. The commissioner shall prioritize applicants for matching grants in a manner that best address the health needs of the applicant's targeted health area.
(g) Not later than June 30, 2013, and every six months thereafter, the commissioner shall provide a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding, appropriations, commerce, public health and human services. Such report shall include available data on (1) the number of licensed physicians or physician offices providing primary care services or any needed medical specialty identified pursuant to section 1 of this act that applied to the Targeted Health Area program, (2) the number of such licensed physicians or physician offices that received assistance under said program, (3) the amounts and types of assistance provided, and (4) the total number of licensed physicians employed at such physician offices on the date of application and the number proposed to be hired, if any. The contents of such report shall also be included in the department's annual report.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 October 1, 2012 New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
from passage
New section
Sec. 2
October 1, 2012
New section
FIN Joint Favorable Subst.
FIN
Joint Favorable Subst.