BILL NUMBER: AB 565 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Salas
FEBRUARY 20, 2013
An act to amend Section 128553 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to physicians and surgeons.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 565, as introduced, Salas. California Physician Corps Program.
Existing law establishes the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps
Loan Repayment Program in the California Physician Corps Program
within the Health Professions Education Foundation, which provides
financial incentives, as specified, to a physician and surgeon for
practicing in a medically underserved community. Existing law
authorizes the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to
adopt guidelines by regulation and requires the foundation to use
guidelines for selection and placement of program applicants. These
guidelines provide priority consideration to applicants who meet
specified criteria, including that the applicant has 3 years of
experience working in medically underserved areas or with medically
underserved populations. The guidelines also must seek to place the
most qualified applicants in the areas with the greatest need.
This bill would require the guidelines for the selection and
placement of program applicants to include criteria that would give
priority consideration to program applicants who have 3 years of
experience providing health care services to medically underserved
populations in a federally designated health professional shortage
area or medically underserved area, and who agree to practice in
those areas and serve a medically underserved population.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 128553 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
128553. (a) Program applicants shall possess a current valid
license to practice medicine in this state issued pursuant to Section
2050 of the Business and Professions Code or pursuant to the
Osteopathic Act.
(b) The foundation, in consultation with those identified in
subdivision (b) of Section 123551, shall use guidelines developed by
the Medical Board of California for selection and placement of
applicants until the office adopts other guidelines by regulation.
The foundation shall interpret the guidelines to apply to both
osteopathic and allopathic physicians and surgeons.
(c) The guidelines shall meet all of the following criteria:
(1) Provide priority consideration to applicants that are best
suited to meet the cultural and linguistic needs and demands of
patients from medically underserved populations and who meet one or
more of the following criteria:
(A) Speak a Medi-Cal threshold language.
(B) Come from an economically disadvantaged background.
(C) Have received significant training in cultural and
linguistically appropriate service delivery.
(D) Have three years of experience working in medically
underserved areas or with medically underserved populations
providing health care services to medically
underserved populations in a federally designated health professional
shortage area or medically underserved area .
(E) Have recently obtained a license to practice medicine.
(2) Include a process for determining the needs for physician
services identified by the practice setting and for ensuring that the
practice setting meets the definition specified in subdivision (h)
of Section 128552.
(3) Give preference to applicants who have completed a three-year
residency in a primary specialty.
(4) Seek to place the most qualified applicants under this section
in the areas with the greatest need.
(4) Give preference to applicants who agree to practice in a
federally designated health professional shortage area or medically
underserved area, and who agree to serve a medically underserved
population.
(5) Include a factor ensuring geographic distribution of
placements.
(6) Provide priority consideration to applicants who agree to
practice in a geriatric care setting and are trained in geriatrics,
and who can meet the cultural and linguistic needs and demands of a
diverse population of older Californians. On and after January 1,
2009, up to 15 percent of the funds collected pursuant to Section
2436.5 of the Business and Professions Code shall be dedicated to
loan assistance for physicians and surgeons who agree to practice in
geriatric care settings or settings that primarily serve adults over
the age of 65 years or adults with disabilities.
(d) (1) The foundation may appoint a selection committee that
provides policy direction and guidance over the program and that
complies with the requirements of subdivision (l) of Section 128552.
(2) The selection committee may fill up to 20 percent of the
available positions with program applicants from specialties outside
of the primary care specialties.
(e) Program participants shall meet all of the following
requirements:
(1) Shall be working in or have a signed agreement with an
eligible practice setting.
(2) Shall have full-time status at the practice setting. Full-time
status shall be defined by the board and the selection committee may
establish exemptions from this requirement on a case-by-case basis.
(3) Shall commit to a minimum of three years of service in a
medically underserved area. Leaves of absence shall be permitted for
serious illness, pregnancy, or other natural causes. The selection
committee shall develop the process for determining the maximum
permissible length of an absence and the process for reinstatement.
Loan repayment shall be deferred until the physician is back to
full-time status.
(f) The office shall adopt a process that applies if a physician
is unable to complete his or her three-year obligation.
(g) The foundation, in consultation with those identified in
subdivision (b) of Section 128551, shall develop a process for
outreach to potentially eligible applicants.
(h) The foundation may recommend to the office any other standards
of eligibility, placement, and termination appropriate to achieve
the aim of providing competent health care services in approved
practice settings.