SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 776

    Amendment No.    

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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11  Senator Clary moved the following amendment:

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13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 37, line 30, delete that line

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16  and insert:

17         Section 14.  Section 240.4067, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         240.4067  Medical Education Reimbursement and Loan

20  Repayment Program.--

21         (1)  To encourage qualified medical professionals to

22  practice in underserved locations where there are shortages of

23  such personnel, there is established the Medical Education

24  Reimbursement and Loan Repayment Program. The function of the

25  program is to make payments that offset loans and educational

26  expenses incurred by students for studies leading to a medical

27  or nursing degree, medical or nursing licensure, or advanced

28  registered nurse practitioner or physician's assistant

29  certification or physician assistant licensure. The following

30  licensed or certified health care professionals are eligible

31  to participate in this program: medical doctors with primary

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 776

    Amendment No.    





 1  care specialties, doctors of osteopathic medicine with primary

 2  care specialties, physician's assistants, licensed practical

 3  nurses and registered nurses, and advanced registered nurse

 4  practitioners with primary care specialties such as certified

 5  nurse midwives. Primary care medical specialties for

 6  physicians include obstetrics, gynecology, general and family

 7  practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and other specialties

 8  which may be identified by the Department of Health and

 9  Rehabilitative Services.

10         (2)  From the funds available, the Department of Health

11  and Rehabilitative Services shall make payments to selected

12  medical professionals as follows:

13         (a)  Up to $4,000 per year for licensed practical

14  nurses and registered nurses, up to $10,000 per year for

15  advanced registered nurse practitioners and physician's

16  assistants, and up to $20,000 per year for physicians.

17  Penalties for noncompliance shall be the same as those in the

18  National Health Services Corps Loan Repayment Program.

19  Educational expenses include costs for tuition, matriculation,

20  registration, books, laboratory and other fees, other

21  educational costs, and reasonable living expenses as

22  determined by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative

23  Services.

24         (b)  All payments shall be contingent on continued

25  proof of primary care practice in an area defined in s.

26  395.602(2)(e), or an underserved area designated by the

27  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, provided the

28  practitioner accepts Medicaid reimbursement if eligible for

29  such reimbursement. Correctional facilities, state hospitals,

30  and other state institutions that employ medical personnel

31  shall be designated by the Department of Health and

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for SB 776

    Amendment No.    





 1  Rehabilitative Services as underserved locations. Locations

 2  with high incidences of infant mortality, high morbidity, or

 3  low Medicaid participation by health care professionals may be

 4  designated as underserved.

 5         (c)  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative

 6  Services may use funds appropriated for the Medical Education

 7  Reimbursement and Loan Repayment Program as matching funds for

 8  federal loan repayment programs such as the National Health

 9  Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program.

10         (3)  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative

11  Services may adopt any rules necessary for the administration

12  of the Medical Education Reimbursement and Loan Repayment

13  Program. The department may also solicit technical advice

14  regarding conduct of the program from the Department of

15  Education and Florida universities and community colleges.

16  The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services shall

17  submit a budget request for an amount sufficient to fund

18  medical education reimbursement, loan repayments, and program

19  administration.

20         Section 15.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

21  law.

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24  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

25  And the title is amended as follows:

26         On page 1, line 3, after "232.465,"

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28  insert:

29         240.4067,

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