EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0626*
SENATE BILL 626
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By: Senators Griffith, Elfreth, Kelley, Guzzone, Lam, Jackson, Washington,
Hettleman, King, Benson, Rosapepe, and Pinsky
Introduced and read first time: February 3, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician 2
Assistants – Alterations 3
FOR the purpose of clarifying that part–time physicians and physician assistants are 4
eligible for participation in the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for 5
Physicians and Physician Assistants; authorizing the Maryland Department of 6
Health to establish prorated loan repayment assistance for part–time physicians and 7
physician assistants; establishing the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment 8
Program Advisory Council for Physicians and Physician Assistants to assist the 9
Department in the administration of the Program; and generally relating to the 10
Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and Physician 11
Assistants. 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Health – General 14
Section 24–1703 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Health – General 19
Section 24–1704 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 22
BY adding to 23
Article – Health – General 24
Section 24–1708 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 27 2 SENATE BILL 626
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Health – General 3
24–1703. 4
There is a Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Physicians and 5
Physician Assistants in the State. 6
24–1704. 7
(a) (1) In this section[, “eligible] THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE 8
MEANINGS INDICATED . 9
(2) (I) “ELIGIBLE field of employment” means employment by an 10
organization, institution, association, society, or corporation that is exempt from taxation 11
under § 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 12
[(2)] (II) “Eligible field of employment” includes employment by the State 13
or any local government in the State. 14
(3) “PHYSICIAN” INCLUDES A PART –TIME PHYSICIAN. 15
(4) “PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT ” INCLUDES A PART –TIME PHYSICIAN 16
ASSISTANT. 17
(b) (1) The Department shall assist in the repayment with the funds 18
transferred to the Department by the Comptroller under § 14–207(d) of the Health 19
Occupations Article of the amount of education loans owed by a physician or physician 20
assistant who: 21
[(1)] (i) 1. Practices primary care in an eligible field of employment 22
in a geographic area of the State that has been federally designated; or 23
[(ii)] 2. Is a medical resident specializing in primary care who 24
agrees to practice for at least 2 years as a primary care physician in an eligible field of 25
employment in a geographic area of the State that has been federally designated; and 26
[(2)] (II) Meets any other requirements established by the Department. 27
(2) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ESTABLISH PRORATED L OAN REPAYMENT 28
ASSISTANCE FOR A PAR T–TIME PHYSICIAN OR PA RT–TIME PHYSICIAN AS SISTANT 29
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. 30
SENATE BILL 626 3
(c) Any unspent portions of the money that is transferred to the Department for 1
use under this subtitle from the Board of Physicians Fund may not be transferred to or 2
revert to the General Fund of the State, but shall remain in the Fund maintained by the 3
Department to administer the Program. 4
24–1708. 5
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “COUNCIL” MEANS THE MARYLAND LOAN 6
ASSISTANCE REPAYMENT PROGRAM ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR PHYSICIANS AND 7
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. 8
(B) THERE IS A MARYLAND LOAN ASSISTANCE REPAYMENT PROGRAM 9
ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR PHYSICIANS AND PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. 10
(C) THE COUNCIL CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBER S: 11
(1) THE CHAIR OF THE HEALTH SERVICES COST REVIEW 12
COMMISSION, OR THE CHAIR’S DESIGNEE; 13
(2) THE CHAIR OF THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE COMMISSION, OR 14
THE CHAIR’S DESIGNEE; 15
(3) THE PRESIDENT OF THE MARYLAND HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, OR 16
THE PRESIDENT’S DESIGNEE; 17
(4) THE DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF 18
MEDICINE, OR THE DEAN’S DESIGNEE; 19
(5) THE DEAN OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, OR 20
THE DEAN’S DESIGNEE; 21
(6) THE PRESIDENT OF MEDCHI, OR THE PRESIDENT’S DESIGNEE; 22
(7) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRIMARY CARE OFFICE IN THE 23
OFFICE OF POPULATION HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ; 24
(8) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE BOARD OF PHYSICIANS; 25
(9) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND ACADEMY OF 26
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS; AND 27
(10) ANY OTHER MEMBERS AS DETERMINED NECESSARY BY THE 28
SECRETARY. 29
4 SENATE BILL 626
(D) (1) THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHALL SELECT THE CHAIR OF 1
THE COUNCIL. 2
(2) A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL: 3
(I) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 4
COUNCIL; BUT 5
(II) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER 6
THE STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE 7
BUDGET. 8
(3) THE COUNCIL SHALL MEE T AT LEAST THREE TIMES A YEAR. 9
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE STAFF FOR THE COUNCIL. 10
(F) THE COUNCIL SHALL: 11
(1) SEEK PERMANENT AND DI VERSE REVENUE SOURCE S TO AID IN 12
THE STABILITY AND FU RTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM; 13
(2) HELP ENSURE MAXIMUM USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS ; 14
(3) USE AVAILABLE DATA AND I NFORMATION TO HELP D IRECT 15
FUNDING TO PRIORITY AREAS; 16
(4) MONITOR SIMILAR LOAN PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES AND 17
ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM REMAINS COMPE TITIVE; 18
(5) ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT IN THE ADM INISTRATION OF THE 19
PROGRAM; 20
(6) HELP MARKET AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PROGRAM 21
THROUGH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND OTH ER APPROPRIATE ENTIT IES AS AN 22
INCENTIVE TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO PR ACTICE IN UNDERSERVE D AREAS; 23
AND 24
(7) MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE 25
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON ANY NECES SARY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM. 26
(G) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE COUNCIL SHALL REPORT 27
TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 28
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE ACTIV ITIES AND 29 SENATE BILL 626 5
RECOMMENDATIONS OF T HE COUNCIL. 1
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 2
1, 2022. 3