9-2-118. Physician and dentist loan repayment program.

(a) The department is authorized to enter into agreements with physicians and dentists who have graduated from accredited residency programs to provide health care in this state. The agreements shall:

(i) Provide for the physician or dentist to practice medicine in a community of the state from among a list of communities developed by the department. A physician or dentist shall agree to provide medical care for the period of the contract in underserved areas of the state and shall accept patients qualified under the Medical Assistance and Services Act, Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act and the child health insurance program who seek medical care which the physician or dentist is qualified to provide;

(ii) Provide that the physician or dentist shall be repaid up to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of outstanding educational loans the physician or dentist has acquired as a direct result of undergraduate or postgraduate educational training directly related to providing medical or dental services, not to exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) per year, in exchange for practicing his profession under the terms of this section;

(iii) Require the physician or dentist to practice for a minimum of three (3) years under the agreement;

(iv) Repealed by Laws 2005, ch. 148, § 2.

(v) Contain other provisions the department deems necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(b) The department, in consultation with the appropriate licensing board and professional association, shall promulgate rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. In carrying out this section the department shall assess health care needs of the state by geographic areas and practice specialties and shall prioritize and enter into agreements under this section accordingly.

(c) The department may vary the terms of each agreement in accordance with this section based upon the community and the number of the physician's or dentist's patients whose cost of care is reimbursed under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act, the child health insurance program or the Wyoming Medical Assistance and Services Act.

(d) Repealed By Laws 2008, Ch. 121, § 3.