560.184(1)(ad)
(ad) "Council" means the rural health development council.
560.184(1)(am)
(am) "Eligible practice area" means a primary care shortage area, an American Indian reservation or trust lands of an American Indian tribe.
560.184(1)(b)
(b) "Health care provider" means a physician 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 at least 32 clinic hours per week for 3 years in one or more eligible practice areas in this state, except that a health care provider in the expanded loan assistance program under
sub. (8) may only agree to practice at a public or private nonprofit entity in a health professional shortage 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) (jc),
(jL) and
(kr).
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) Up to 40% of the principal of the loan or $10,000, whichever is less, during the first year of participation in the program under this section.
560.184(4)(b)
(b) Up to an additional 40% of the principal of the loan or $10,000, whichever is less, during the 2nd year of participation in the program under this section.
560.184(4)(c)
(c) Up to an additional 20% of the principal of the loan or $5,000, whichever is less, during the 3rd year of participation in the program under this section.
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) (jc),
(jL) and
(kr).
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) (jc),
(jL) and
(kr), 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 or health professional shortage 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 or health professional shortage 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 or health professional shortage 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 or health professional shortage 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 or health professional shortage 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(6m)(a)(a) The department shall, by rule, establish penalties to be assessed by the department against health care providers who breach an agreement entered into under
sub. (3) (a). The rules shall do all of the following:
560.184(6m)(a)3.
3. Provide exceptions for certain actions, including breaches resulting from death or disability.
560.184(6m)(b)
(b) Any penalties assessed and collected under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account under
s. 20.143 (1) (jc).
560.184(7)
(7) Administrative contract. From the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (kr), 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(8)
(8) Expanded loan assistance program. The department may agree to repay loans as provided under this section on behalf of a health care provider under an expanded health care provider loan assistance program that is funded through federal funds in addition to state matching funds. To be eligible for loan repayment under the expanded health care provider loan assistance program, a health care provider must fulfill all of the requirements for loan repayment under this section, as well as all of the following:
560.184(8)(a)
(a) The health care provider must be a U.S. citizen.
560.184(8)(b)
(b) The health care provider may not have a judgment lien against his or her property for a debt to the United States.
560.184(8)(c)
(c) The health care provider must agree to do all of the following:
560.184(8)(c)1.
1. Accept medicare assignment as payment in full for services or articles provided.
560.184(8)(c)2.
2. Use a sliding fee scale or a comparable method of determining payment arrangements for patients who are not eligible for medicare or medical assistance and who are unable to pay the customary fee for the physician's services.
560.184(8)(c)3.
3. Practice at a public or private nonprofit entity in a health professional shortage area.
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 on 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.
560.185(3)(d)2.
2. Development of mechanisms to reduce shortages of health care providers in rural areas.
560.185(3)(d)3.
3. Development of alternative state capital financing mechanisms for rural health facilities and services.
560.185(4)
(4) Perform other advisory functions at the request of the secretary related to rural health development.
560.19
560.19
Pollution prevention. 560.19(2)
(2) From the appropriation under
s. 20.143 (1) (em), the department may contract with the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System for educational services from the University of Wisconsin-Extension solid and hazardous waste education center. If the department enters into a contract under this subsection, the contract shall provide that the solid and hazardous waste center shall do all of the following:
560.19(2)(a)
(a) Expand its educational program to include business assessment activities that are specified in the contract and that have the following purposes:
560.19(2)(a)1.
1. Determining the full costs of using and producing hazardous substances, toxic pollutants and solid or hazardous waste.
560.19(2)(a)2.
2. Identifying processes that use or produce hazardous substances, toxic pollutants or solid or hazardous waste and the composition of the hazardous substances, toxic pollutants or solid or hazardous waste.
560.19(2)(b)
(b) Consider all of the following in conducting the business assessment activities under the contract:
560.19(2)(b)1.
1. The need for a pollution prevention assessment and a program participant's willingness to participate in an assessment.
560.19(2)(b)2.
2. The technical and financial ability of a program participant to implement pollution prevention.
560.19(2)(b)3.
3. The potential for others to use the information gained from a pollution prevention assessment.
560.19(3)
(3) In coordination with the solid and hazardous waste education center under
s. 36.25 (30) and the department of natural resources, the department shall conduct an education, environmental management and technical assistance program to promote pollution prevention among businesses in the state.
560.20
560.20
Business development initiative. 560.20(1)(b)
(b) "Equity investment" means the purchase of common or preferred capital stock or the purchase of an option or other right to acquire common or preferred capital stock.
560.20(1)(c)
(c) "For-profit business" means any organization or enterprise operated on a for-profit or cooperative basis, including but not limited to a proprietorship, partnership, firm, business trust, joint venture, syndicate, corporation, cooperative or association.
560.20(1)(cf)
(cf) "Management assistance" means engineering and legal services and professional assistance in establishing or improving management systems, policies or procedures in such management concerns as financial planning, personnel, inventory control, production planning, purchasing, bookkeeping, record keeping and marketing.
560.20(1)(d)
(d) "Nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit corporation, as defined in
s. 181.0103 (17), and any organization described in section
501 (c) (3) of the internal revenue code that is exempt from federal income tax under section
501 (a) of the internal revenue code.
560.20(1)(e)
(e) "Person with severe disabilities" means an individual who is eligible for one or more programs or services under
ch. 47 because he or she is a person with a severe disability, as defined in
s. 47.01 (3g).
560.20(1)(f)
(f) "Small business" means a for-profit business having fewer than 100 full-time employees.
560.20(1)(g)
(g) "Technical assistance" includes all of the following:
560.20(1)(g)1.
1. Preparation of preliminary feasibility studies, feasibility studies or business and financial plans.
560.20(1)(g)3.
3. Engineering studies, appraisals or marketing assistance.
560.20(1m)
(1m) Employment opportunities. The department shall develop a program consisting of technical assistance, grants and loans, as described in
subs. (2) and
(3), for the purpose of assisting the expansion and creation of for-profit businesses that are expected to provide employment opportunities for persons with severe disabilities.
