HB1630--RURALPHYSICIANGRANTPROGRAM
SPONSOR: Morse
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
RuralCommunityDevelopmentbyavoteof13to0.
ThisbillmandatesthattheDepartmentofHealthandSenior
Services(DHSS)shall,subjecttoappropriations, establisharural
primarycarephysiciangrantprogramthatprovidesincentivesfor
physicianstopracticeandresideinruralcounties,definedas
countieswithfewerthan35,000inhabitants. TheDepartmentshall
posteligibilitycriteria,contentsofthegrantapplication,and
proceduresandtimelinesbywhichphysiciansmayapplyforgrants
toenterintoagrantagreementwithDHSS.Provisionsofgrant
agreementsincludethatthephysicianmustpracticeandresidein
theruralcountyforaperiodoffiveyearsandastatementof
damagestowhichthestateisentitledshouldthephysicianbreach
thegrantagreement.
Thisbillestablishesthe"RuralPrimaryCarePhysicianGrant
ProgramFund".MoneysintheFundshallbeusedsolelyfor
awardinggrantsandadministeringthegrantprogram.
ThisbillissimilartoHB906(2021).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthereisadisparitybetweenthe
numberofruralprimarycarephysiciansandurbanprimarycare
physicians. Thisbillwouldhelpcreateincentivesforphysicians
topracticeintheruralcommunitiesofthestate,manyofwhich
struggletoattractdoctors.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Morse;MissouriAcademy
ofFamilyPhysicians;MissouriStateMedicalAssociation;and
MissouriAssociationofRuralHealthClinics. Additionalwritten
testimonywassubmittedinsupportofthebill.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.