Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3621 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4079 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3621
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Michael S. Day, (BY REQUEST)
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to encourage, and improve the level of availability of physicians.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Vincent L. Dixon60 Lake Street Unit N Winchester
16	16	Massachusetts 01890
17	17	1/20/2023 1 of 3
18	18	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4079 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
19	19	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3621
20	20	By Representative Day of Stoneham (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
21	21	3621) of Vincent L. Dixon for legislation to encourage, and improve the level of availability of
22	22	physicians. Public Health.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act to encourage, and improve the level of availability of physicians.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the
32	32	2following new chapter:
33	33	3 PURPOSE – A variety of circumstances, having developed in recent years, have led to
34	34	4the serious erosion of staffing levels, among physicians, and other senior level health care
35	35	5workers. These circumstances have included the migration of many such workers, into other
36	36	6fields; the retirement of many, and other factors including pressure on work loads, and
37	37	7challenged compensation levels; leading to what, in effect, is a health care system emergency,
38	38	8and crisis.
39	39	9 Recent events, particularly the COVID-19 Pandemic, and other factors, have led to the
40	40	10death of many physicians, and other senior health care workers, further adding to the significant
41	41	11shortage of such staff. 2 of 3
42	42	12 In addition, profound changes in medical treatment modalities, significant lengthening of
43	43	13life spans, of many; and newer recognized diseases, and conditions, have meant that there are
44	44	14some further increases, in the need for physicians, and other senior level related health care
45	45	15workers.
46	46	16 Significantly, Massachusetts has become a world leader in medicine, and health care, and
47	47	17attracts substantial numbers of patients, from across The United States and the World.
48	48	18 Thus, it has become clear that a shortage of physicians, and other senior level related
49	49	19health care workers, is worsening, and is likely to worsen further; adding to crisis type risks, and
50	50	20actual crisis circumstances, in the health care system of our Commonwealth; over a span of some
51	51	21years, going forward. This statute has as its purpose, to address, and help to remedy, these
52	52	22shortages; and provide additional mechanisms, by which individuals, and institutions, can
53	53	23recruit, train, employ, and otherwise stabilize, and seek to improve the physicians, and senior
54	54	24level health care work force.
55	55	25 SECTION 2 – This legislation authorizes the Executive Office of Health and Human
56	56	26Services, and under it, the Department of Public Health, to create a Physicians Scholarship
57	57	27Program.
58	58	28 2a.) This Physicians Scholarship Program (PSP), shall provide a mechanism for all
59	59	29qualified students, who wish to enroll in an accredited Medical Physician Education Program,
60	60	30operated within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to receive specific assistance in obtaining
61	61	31grant, and/or scholarship aid, to compensate their educational, and related costs, as long as they
62	62	32meet certain specified standards. 3 of 3
63	63	33 2b.) Those students receiving assistance through the Physicians Scholarship Program
64	64	34(PSP), shall attend at least half-time, and preferably full-time, during their academic, and clinical
65	65	35training.
66	66	36 2c.) Such eligible students, shall, upon graduation, commit to no less than four (4) years
67	67	37of full-time service, in a qualified medical institution, and/or health care facility, within the
68	68	38boundaries of Massachusetts, as may be further defined.
69	69	39 SECTION 3 – All such eligible Physicians Scholarship Program (PSP) students, shall
70	70	40receive up to ten (10) years of complete tuition compensation, during their studies in an
71	71	41accredited Physician Medical School Degree Program.
72	72	42 3a.) The Department of Public Health, is authorized to develop such program, and may,
73	73	43as needed, intersect with other agencies of the Commonwealth, to develop additional related
74	74	44standards.
75	75	45 3b.) Detailed records, for students in the program, shall be kept, processed, analyzed, and
76	76	46further reported, together with useful recommendations, for the refinement of the program. This
77	77	47public report, shall be done on a yearly basis.