Mississippi House Bill HB457

Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/10/25
• Refer: 1/10/25
• Failed: 2/4/25

Caption

African American Resident Physician Scholarship Program; establish.

Impact

The program outlined in HB457 mandates that participants must serve in health professional shortage areas (HPSA), medically underserved areas (MUA), or other approved rural areas for a minimum of five years after completing their residency. Successful completion of this service requirement will relieve the participants of any financial obligations associated with the scholarship they received. This structure is intended to both encourage applicants to practice in underserved regions and ensure that adequate healthcare services are provided to those communities.

Summary

House Bill 457 seeks to establish the African American Resident Physician Scholarship Program in Mississippi. This program will be administered by the University of Mississippi Medical Center and aims to increase the number of African American physicians serving in cities and counties that are underserved. The bill emphasizes the need for physicians in these areas, which often suffer from a lack of adequate healthcare resources and professionals, ensuring that the medical workforce better represents the communities they serve.

Contention

One notable point of contention surrounding the bill is the strict repayment requirement for those who do not fulfill their service obligation. If a participant fails to practice where required, they are subject to repay all financial assistance received through the scholarship program, along with potential additional penalties. While supporters argue that the repayment clause ensures accountability and commitment to serving in critical areas, opponents may raise concerns about the pressure it could place on new physicians, particularly those who secure employment outside of Mississippi or face personal circumstances that prevent them from fulfilling the service requirement.