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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
March 28, 2024
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1696 By: McEntire, Deck, and Munson
of the House
and
Stanley of the Senate
An Act relating to medical loan repayment; amending
63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -2721, as amended by Section
3, Chapter 407, O.S.L. 2022 (63 O.S. Supp. 2023,
Section 1-2721), which relates to administration
qualifications, disbursements, review, and reports of
the Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment Program;
modifying definition; including certified nurse
practitioners for medical loan repayment; amending 63
O.S. 2021, Section 1 -2722, as amended by Section 4,
Chapter 407, O.S.L. 2022 (63 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section
1-2722), which relates to amount of award and
determination of the Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment
Program; including physician assistant and certified
nurse practitioner for award; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -2721, as
amended by Section 3, Chapter 407, O.S.L. 2022 (63 O.S. Supp. 2023,
Section 1-2721), is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-2721. A. 1. The Health Care Workforce Training
Commission shall administer the Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment
Program.
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2. For the purposes of this section, "primary care physicians"
shall mean physicians practicing in family medicine, geriatr ics,
general internal medicine, general pediatrics,
obstetrics/gynecology, or emergency medicine, or general surgery .
3. For the purposes of this sect ion, "health center" shall mean
a federally qualified health center Federally Qualified Health
Center as defined by 42 U.S.C., Section 1905(1)(2)(B).
4. For the purposes of this section, "teaching health center"
shall mean a health center that supports th e residencies of primary
care physicians within the operations of the health center.
5. The Program program, depending upon and limited to available
funding, shall provide educational loan repayment assistance to
Oklahoma-licensed primary care physicians and, physician assistants ,
and certified nurse practitioners who agree to establish a practice
in a community located in Oklahoma approved by the Commission.
6. Each award of educational loan repayment assistance shall be
for a contracted period and shall be distributed to the participant
by drafts made payable to the participant at the end of each
contract year with disbursements not to exceed an amount to be
established annually by the Commission. Prior to any disbursement,
the Commission shall certify and properly review reports submitted
by the participating physician or, physician assistant, or certified
nurse practitioner detailing performance of activities in accordance
with the Program program.
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7. The Commission shall review the performance in the Program
program of the participating physician or, physician assistant, or
certified nurse practitioner and determine whether an award may be
granted for additional years pursuant to rules promulgated by the
Commission.
B. The physicians and, physician assistants, and certified
nurse practitioners entering the Program program each year shall
agree to provide medical care and services in areas designated by
the Commission to provide medical care and services to Medicaid
recipients as authorized by the Okla homa Health Care Authority.
C. A physician or, physician assistant, or certified nurse
practitioner shall be eligible to participate in the loan repayment
program if the individual:
1. Is a physician that, physician assistant, or certified nurse
practitioner who holds a current Oklahoma medical license;
2. Is a new primary care graduate physician or, physician
assistant, or certified nurse practitioner . Preference will be
given to graduates of the primary care residency programs affiliated
with the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine,
the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine , and the teaching
hospitals affiliated with both schools of medicine and teaching
health centers located in this state; or
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3. Is a current practicing phy sician or, physician assistant,
or certified nurse practitioner and has met criteria established by
the Commission.
D. The Commission may accept donations of public or private
funds to assist in funding the Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment
Program. The Commission may, at its discretion, contract with other
public entities and nonprofit corporations for the e ndowment,
management and administration of such funds.
E. The Commission shall present a report on the operation of
the Program program to the Governor, the Speaker of the Oklahoma
House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the
Oklahoma State Senate within one (1) month of the beginning of each
regular session of the Legislature, including but not limited to the
progress made in accompli shing the goal of the Program program.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2021, Sect ion 1-2722, as
amended by Section 4, Chapter 407, O.S.L. 2022 (63 O.S. Supp. 2023,
Section 1-2722), is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-2722. The amount of the award of educational loan
repayment assistance shall not exceed any maximum or minimum amount
as promulgated by rules of the Health Care Workforce Training
Commission pursuant to the Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment Program.
The actual amount of the award shall be based upon a determination
of:
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1. Actual funds available to the Program program for
expenditure; and
2. The existing student loan indebtedness of the participating
physician, physician assistant, or certified nurse practitioner .
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
March 28, 2024 - DO PASS