Sec. 61.532. ELIGIBILITY. (a) To be eligible to receive repayment assistance, a physician must:

(1) apply to the coordinating board;

(2) at the time of application, be licensed to practice medicine under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;

(3) have completed one, two, three, or four consecutive years of practice:

(A) in a health professional shortage area designated by the Department of State Health Services; or

(B) in accordance with Subsection (b), after funds have been fully allocated for the program year to physicians qualifying under Paragraph (A); and

(4) provide health care services to:

(A) recipients under the medical assistance program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code;

(B) enrollees under the child health plan program authorized by Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; or

(C) persons committed to a secure correctional facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or persons confined in a secure correctional facility operated by or under contract with any division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

(b) A physician may complete one or more years of practice required by Subsection (a)(3) in a location other than a health professional shortage area designated by the Department of State Health Services if, during the applicable year or years, the physician provides health care services to a designated number of patients who are recipients under the medical assistance program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, or the Texas Women's Health Program according to criteria established by the board in consultation with the Health and Human Services Commission. The Health and Human Services Commission shall verify a physician's compliance with this subsection, and the board and the commission shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for that purpose.

(c) The board annually shall solicit and collect information regarding the specific number of patients described by Subsection (a)(4)(A) who are treated by each physician receiving loan repayment assistance under this subchapter.

Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 517, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 585, Sec. 1, eff. June 13, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 349, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 820, Sec. 23, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 285 (H.B. 2154), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 285 (H.B. 2154), Sec. 17, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 295 (H.B. 1908), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1015 (H.B. 2550), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2013.