(A) A primary care physician who has signed a letter of intent under section 3702.73 of the Revised Code and the director of health may enter into a contract for the physician's participation in the physician loan repayment program. The physician's employer or other funding source may also be a party to the contract.

(B) The contract shall include all of the following obligations:

(1) The primary care physician agrees to provide primary care services in the health resource shortage area identified in the letter of intent for the number of hours and duration specified in the contract;

(2) When providing primary care services in the health resource shortage area, the primary care physician agrees to do all of the following:

(a) Provide primary care services in an outpatient or ambulatory setting approved by the department of health;

(b) Provide primary care services without regard to a patient's ability to pay;

(c) Meet the requirements for a medicaid provider agreement and enter into the agreement with the department of medicaid to provide primary care services to medicaid recipients.

(3) The department of health agrees, as provided in section 3702.75 of the Revised Code, to repay, so long as the primary care physician performs the service obligation agreed to under division (B)(1) of this section, all or part of the principal and interest of a government or other educational loan taken by the primary care physician for expenses described in section 3702.75 of the Revised Code;

(4) The primary care physician agrees to pay the department of health an amount established by rules adopted under section 3702.79 of the Revised Code if the physician fails to complete the service obligation agreed to under division (B)(1) of this section.

(C) The contract shall include the following terms as agreed upon by the parties:

(1) The primary care physician's required length of service in the health resource shortage area, which must be at least two years;

(2) The number of weekly hours the primary care physician will be engaged in full-time practice or part-time practice in the health resource shortage area;

(3) The maximum amount that the department will repay on behalf of the primary care physician;

(4) The extent to which the primary care physician's teaching activities will be counted toward the physician's full-time practice or part-time practice hours under the contract.

(D) If the amount specified in division (C)(3) of this section includes federal funds , the amount of state funds repaid on the individual's behalf shall be the same as the amount of those federal funds.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 483, §101.01, eff. 9/15/2014.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 06-26-2003; 2008 HB562 06-24-2008