36-2174. Rural private primary care provider loan repayment program; private practice; rules

A. Subject to the availability of monies, the department shall establish a rural private primary care provider loan repayment program for physicians, dentists, pharmacists, behavioral health providers and advance practice providers with current or prospective rural primary care practices located in federally designated health professional shortage areas or medically underserved areas in this state, as prescribed in section 36-2352. To be eligible to participate in the program, an applicant shall agree to provide organized, discounted, sliding fee scale services for medically uninsured individuals from families with annual incomes below two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines as established annually by the United States department of health and human services. The department shall approve the sliding fee scale used by the provider. The provider shall ensure notice to consumers of the availability of these services. The department shall give preference to applicants who agree to serve in rural areas.

B. Except as provided in section 36-2172, subsection B, paragraph 2, the program established pursuant to this section and loan repayment contracts made pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements of section 36-2172.

C. The department may apply for and receive private donations and grant monies to implement the rural private primary care provider loan repayment program established pursuant to this section.

D. The department shall adopt rules to cancel or suspend a loan repayment contract, impose a penalty for default or find a person in default of a contract.