560.17(7)(b)
(b) The board or department shall deposit all interest or principal payments received for loans made under this section in the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (ir).
560.17(7)(d)
(d) The department or board may not limit the time period during which applications for grants and loans under this section may be accepted.
560.183
560.183
Physician loan assistance program. 560.183(1)(ag)
(ag) "Eligible practice area" means a primary care shortage area, an obstetric shortage area, a psychiatric shortage area, a state or federal prison, an area health education center program established under
42 USC 295g-1, an American Indian reservation or trust lands of an American Indian tribe.
560.183(1)(ar)
(ar) "Obstetric shortage area" means a shortage area established under
sub. (7), in which there is a chronic unmet need for obstetric services, and in which there are sufficient resident or occurrence births per year, and sufficient medical personnel to provide backup services, to support an additional obstetric services provider.
560.183(1)(c)
(c) "Primary care" means family medical practice, general internal medicine and pediatrics.
560.183(1)(cm)
(cm) "Primary care shortage area" means a shortage area established under
sub. (7), in which the ratio of the population to the number of physicians who provide primary care is more than 2,500 to one, or an area that is in a primary care health professional shortage area as determined by the federal department of health and human services under
42 CFR part 5, appendix A.
560.183(1)(d)
(d) "Psychiatric shortage area" means an area that is designated by the federal department of health and human services under
42 CFR part 5, appendix C, as having a shortage of psychiatric manpower.
560.183(2)(a)(a) The department may repay, on behalf of a physician, up to $50,000 in educational loans obtained by the physician from a public or private lending institution for education in an accredited school of medicine or for postgraduate medical training.
560.183(2)(b)
(b) A physician who is a participant in the national health service corps scholarship program under
42 USC 254n, or a physician who was a participant in that program and who failed to carry out his or her obligations under that program, is not eligible for loan repayment under this section.
560.183(3)(a)(a) The department shall enter into a written agreement with the physician. In the agreement, the physician shall agree to practice in this state primarily in an eligible practice area except that a physician specializing in obstetrics may only agree to practice obstetrics in an obstetric shortage area and a physician specializing in psychiatry may only agree to practice psychiatry in a psychiatric shortage area. The physician shall also agree to care for patients who are insured or for whom health benefits are payable under medicare, medical assistance or any other governmental program.
560.183(3)(b)
(b) The agreement shall specify that the responsibility of the department to make the payments under the agreement is subject to the availability of funds in the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fe) and
(jm).
560.183(4)
(4) Loan repayment. Principal and interest due on loans, exclusive of any penalties, may be repaid by the department at the following rate:
560.183(4)(a)
(a) Ten percent of the principal of the loan or $5,000, whichever is less, during the first year of practice.
560.183(4)(b)
(b) An additional 12.5% of the principal of the loan or $6,250, whichever is less, during the 2nd year of practice.
560.183(4)(c)
(c) An additional 15% of the principal of the loan or $7,500, whichever is less, during the 3rd year of practice.
560.183(4)(d)
(d) An additional 20% of the principal of the loan or $10,000, whichever is less, during the 4th year of practice.
560.183(4)(e)
(e) An additional 42.5% of the principal of the loan or $21,250, whichever is less, during the 5th year of practice.
560.183(5)
(5) Availability of funds; right of action against state. 560.183(5)(a)(a) The obligation of the department to make payments under an agreement entered into under
sub. (3) (b) is subject to the availability of funds in the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fe) and
(jm).
560.183(5)(b)
(b) If the cost of repaying the loans of all eligible applicants, when added to the cost of loan repayments scheduled under existing agreements, exceeds the total amount in the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fe) and
(jm), the department shall establish priorities among the eligible applicants based upon the following considerations:
560.183(5)(b)1.
1. The degree to which there is an extremely high need for medical care in the eligible practice area in which the physician desires to practice.
560.183(5)(b)2.
2. The likelihood that a physician will remain in the eligible practice area in which he or she desires to practice after the loan repayment period.
560.183(5)(b)3.
3. The per capita income of the eligible practice area in which a physician desires to practice.
560.183(5)(b)4.
4. The financial or other support for physician recruitment and retention provided by individuals, organizations, or local governments in the eligible practice area in which a physician desires to practice.
560.183(5)(b)5.
5. The geographic distribution of the physicians who have entered into loan repayment agreements under this section and the geographic distribution of the eligible practice areas in which the eligible applicants desire to practice.
560.183(5)(b)6.
6. Other considerations that the department may specify by rule.
560.183(5)(d)
(d) An agreement under
sub. (3) does not create a right of action against the state on the part of the physician or the lending institution for failure to make the payments specified in the agreement.
560.183(6)
(6) Local participation. The department shall encourage contributions to the program under this section by counties, cities, villages and towns. Funds received under this subsection shall be deposited in the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (jm).
560.183(7)
(7) Shortage areas. With the advice of the council, the department shall establish primary care shortage areas under
sub. (1) (cm) and obstetric shortage areas under
sub. (1) (ar).
560.183(8)
(8) Administrative contract. From the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (fd), the department shall contract with the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System for administrative services from the office of rural health of the department of professional and community development of the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Under the contract, the office of rural health shall do all of the following:
560.183(8)(a)
(a) Provide recommendations to the department and council regarding the establishment of shortage areas under
sub. (7).
560.183(8)(b)
(b) Advise the department and council on the identification of eligible practice areas with an extremely high need for medical care.
560.183(8)(d)
(d) Assist the department to publicize the program under this section to physicians and eligible communities.
560.183(8)(e)
(e) Assist physicians who are interested in applying for the program under this section.
560.183(8)(f)
(f) Assist communities in obtaining physicians' services through the program under this section.
560.183(8)(g)
(g) Assist the department with the general operation of the program under this section.
560.184
560.184
Health care provider loan assistance program. 560.184(1)(am)
(am) "Eligible practice area" means a primary care shortage area, an obstetric shortage area, a state or federal prison, an area health education center program established under
42 USC 295g-1, an American Indian reservation or trust lands of an American Indian tribe.
560.184(1)(b)
(b) "Health care provider" means a physician's assistant, nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner.
560.184(2)
(2) Eligibility. The department may repay, on behalf of a health care provider, up to $25,000 in educational loans obtained by the health care provider from a public or private lending institution for education related to the health care provider's field of practice, as determined by the department with the advice of the council.
560.184(3)(a)(a) The department shall enter into a written agreement with the health care provider. In the agreement, the health care provider shall agree to practice in this state primarily in an eligible practice area.
560.184(3)(b)
(b) The agreement shall specify that the responsibility of the department to make the payments under the agreement is subject to the availability of funds in the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fc) and
(jL).
560.184(4)
(4) Loan repayment. Principal and interest due on loans, exclusive of any penalties, may be repaid by the department at the following rate:
560.184(4)(a)
(a) Ten percent of the principal of the loan or $2,500, whichever is less, during the first year of practice.
560.184(4)(b)
(b) An additional 12.5% of the principal of the loan or $3,125, whichever is less, during the 2nd year of practice.
560.184(4)(c)
(c) An additional 15% of the principal of the loan or $3,750, whichever is less, during the 3rd year of practice.
560.184(4)(d)
(d) An additional 20% of the principal of the loan or $5,000, whichever is less, during the 4th year of practice.
560.184(4)(e)
(e) An additional 42.5% of the principal of the loan or $10,625, whichever is less, during the 5th year of practice.
560.184(5)
(5) Availability of funds; right of action against state. 560.184(5)(a)(a) The obligation of the department to make payments under an agreement entered into under
sub. (3) is subject to the availability of funds in the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fc) and
(jL).
560.184(5)(b)
(b) If the cost of repaying the loans of all eligible applicants, when added to the cost of loan repayments scheduled under existing agreements, exceeds the total amount in the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fc) and
(jL), the department shall establish priorities among the eligible applicants based upon the following considerations:
560.184(5)(b)1.
1. The degree to which there is an extremely high need for medical care in the eligible practice area in which an eligible applicant desires to practice.
560.184(5)(b)2.
2. The likelihood that an eligible applicant will remain in the eligible practice area in which he or she desires to practice after the loan repayment period.
560.184(5)(b)3.
3. The per capita income of the eligible practice area in which an eligible applicant desires to practice.
560.184(5)(b)4.
4. The financial or other support for health care provider recruitment and retention provided by individuals, organizations or local governments in the eligible practice area in which an eligible applicant desires to practice.
560.184(5)(b)5.
5. The geographic distribution of the health care providers who have entered into loan repayment agreements under this section and the geographic location of the eligible practice area in which an eligible applicant desires to practice.
560.184(5)(b)6.
6. Other considerations that the department may specify by rule.
560.184(5)(c)
(c) An agreement under
sub. (3) does not create a right of action against the state on the part of the health care provider or the lending institution for failure to make the payments specified in the agreement.
560.184(6)
(6) Local participation. The department shall encourage contributions to the program under this section by counties, cities, villages and towns. Funds received under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under
s. 20.143 (1) (jL).
560.184(7)
(7) Administrative contract. From the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (fd), the department shall contract with the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System for administrative services from the office of rural health of the department of professional and community development of the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Under the contract, the office of rural health shall do all of the following:
560.184(7)(a)
(a) Advise the department and council on the identification of communities with an extremely high need for health care.
560.184(7)(b)
(b) Assist the department to publicize the program under this section to health care providers and eligible communities.
560.184(7)(c)
(c) Assist health care providers who are interested in applying for the program under this section.
560.184(7)(d)
(d) Assist communities in obtaining the services of health care providers through the program under this section.
560.184(7)(e)
(e) Assist the department with the general operation of the program under this section.
560.184 History
History: 1993 a. 16;
1995 a. 27.
560.185
560.185
Rural health development council. The rural health development council created under
s. 15.157 (8) shall do all of the following:
560.185(1)
(1) Advise the department as provided in
s. 560.183 (7) and on other matters related to the physician loan assistance program under
s. 560.183 and the health care provider loan assistance program under
s. 560.184.
560.185(1m)
(1m) Advise the department on the amount, up to $25,000, to be repaid on behalf of each health care provider who participates in the health care provider loan assistance program under
s. 560.184.
560.185(2)
(2) Advise the department as it promulgates the rules required under
s. 231.35 (7) for the rural hospital loan guarantee program.
560.185(3)
(3) Make recommendations to the department on all of the following:
560.185(3)(a)
(a) Ways to improve the delivery of health care to persons living in rural areas of the state that qualify as eligible practice areas, as defined in
s. 560.183 (1) (ag).
560.185(3)(b)
(b) Ways to help communities evaluate the linkage between rural health facilities and economic development for purposes of determining the value of local support for rural health facilities.
560.185(3)(c)
(c) The coordination of state and federal programs available to assist rural health facilities.
560.185(3)(d)
(d) A rural health initiative for inclusion in the 1991-93 biennial budget that addresses all of the following issues:
560.185(3)(d)1.
1. Stronger coordination and maintenance of rural health services and delivery systems.
