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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
3100 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO HEALTH.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
The legislature further finds that since that time, while the need for these providers in these areas remains, there is an increased need for a wider range of health care providers by professions, as well as a pressing need for practitioners in mental health.
The legislature further finds that on September 9, 2023,
the State launched the Hawaii healthcare education loan
repayment program (HELP), which is alleviating the educational debt of 492
medical and healthcare professionals.
Because of the expanded scope and purpose of HELP, the purpose of this
Act is to clarify the name of the Hawaii health corps program and rename it to
the Hawaii rural healthcare provider loan program to
better reflect the purpose of the program.
SECTION 2. Section 309H-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "loan repayment" or "repayment of loan" to read as follows:
""Loan repayment" or "repayment of loan" means the
payment of up to twenty per cent of a Hawaii [health corps] rural
healthcare provider loan program participant's health care training costs
including but not limited to tuition not exceeding $35,000 per year for a
maximum of five years of repayment."
SECTION
3. Section 309H-2, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§309H-2 Hawaii
[health corps] rural
health care provider loan program established. The Hawaii [health corps] rural
healthcare provider loan program is established to encourage physicians,
physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to serve in counties having a
shortage of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, with
priority given to a rural area county. The
Hawaii [health corps] rural healthcare provider loan program
shall be administered by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of
medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental
hygiene. In administering the program,
the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and the University of
Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene shall:
(1) Adopt rules and develop guidelines to administer the program;
(2) Identify and designate areas of the counties
where there is a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse
practitioners;
(3) Establish criteria for
the selection by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine of
physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to participate in the
Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;
(4) Define and determine
compliance with the service commitments of the Hawaii rural health care
provider loan repayment program;
(5) Collect and manage
reimbursements from participants who do not meet their service commitments
under the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program;
(6) Publicize the program,
particularly to maximize participation by individuals who live in areas of a
county where there is a shortage of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse
practitioners;
(7) Solicit and accept
grants and donations from public and private sources for the Hawaii rural health
care provider loan repayment program, including maximizing the use of federal
matching funds; and
(8) Establish criteria and
procedures for calling Hawaii [health corps] rural healthcare loan
program participants into service during an emergency or disaster."
SECTION 4. Section 309H-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§309H-3[]] Hawaii rural health care provider loan
repayment program. (a) There is created [within the Hawaii health
corps program,] the Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment
program to be administered by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of
medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental
hygiene in partnership with a lending financial institution whose operations
are principally conducted in Hawaii. The
Hawaii rural health care provider loan repayment program shall provide loan
repayments to eligible physicians, physician assistants, and nurse
practitioners who make the service commitment under subsection (b). The University of Hawaii John A. Burns school
of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental
hygiene shall make loan repayments directly to the financial institution under
subsection (b) to offset the loan repayment for which the Hawaii rural health
care provider loan repayment program recipient would otherwise be liable. Loan repayments shall commence upon the
commencement of loan repayments by the Hawaii rural health care provider loan
repayment program recipient to the lending financial institution. The University of Hawaii John A. Burns school
of medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental
hygiene shall prioritize loan repayments in accordance with the greatest
specialty shortages for the particular county.
(b) The Hawaii rural
health care provider loan repayment program shall provide loan repayments on
behalf of licensed physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners
who agree to serve for five consecutive years as a physician, physician
assistant, or nurse practitioner in a county having a shortage of physicians,
physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, with priority given to a rural
area of that particular county; provided that eligible physicians, physician
assistants, or nurse practitioners, as applicable, shall have graduated from a
duly accredited medical school or nursing school within the United States;
provided further that preference shall be given to graduates of the University
of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine or the University of Hawaii at Manoa
school of nursing and dental hygiene, as applicable.
(c) Eligible participants
in the Hawaii rural health care provider loan [[]repayment[]]
program shall be determined by the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of
medicine and the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental
hygiene on a competitive basis and in accordance with subsection (b).
(d) If a Hawaii rural
health care provider loan repayment program participant fails to satisfy the
recipient's service commitment under subsection (b), the Hawaii rural health
care provider loan repayment program participant shall be liable for the
repayment of the outstanding balance of the loan to the lending financial
institution under subsection (b). In
addition, the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and the
University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene may seek
reimbursement for any loan repayment made by the University of Hawaii John A.
Burns school of medicine or the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing
and dental hygiene on behalf of the Hawaii rural health care provider loan
repayment program participant.
(e) In accordance with
chapter 103D, the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine and the
University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene may enter
into written contracts with collection agencies to collect delinquent
reimbursements of loan repayments. All
payments collected, exclusive of a collection agency's commissions, shall revert
and be credited to the Hawaii [health corps] rural healthcare
provider loan fund. A collection
agency that enters into a written contract with the University of Hawaii John
A. Burns school of medicine or the University of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing
and dental hygiene to collect delinquent reimbursements of loan repayments
pursuant to this section may collect a commission from the debtor in accordance
with the terms of, and up to the amounts authorized in, the written contract."
SECTION
5. Section 309H-4, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§309H-4 Hawaii [health corps] rural health care
provider loan first responder service obligation. If an emergency or disaster proclaimed under
chapter 127A occurs, physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners
participating in the Hawaii [health corps] rural healthcare provider
loan program may be ordered into service by the governor as first
responders to serve in areas of the State and in a capacity determined by the
director of health. "
SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |
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BY REQUEST |
Report Title:
Hawaii Health Corps Program; Hawaii Rural Healthcare Provider Loan Program; Loan Repayment
Description:
Renames the Hawaii Health Corps Program to the Hawaii Rural Healthcare Provider Loan Program.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.