39.385 Primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Graduate medical education training program" means any of the following:

1. A program of education in a medical specialty following the completion of medical school that prepares a physician for the independent practice of medicine in that specialty.

2. A program of education in a medical subspecialty following the completion of education in a medical specialty that prepares a physician for the independent practice of medicine in that subspecialty.

(b) “Grant program" means the primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program under this section.

(c) “Health professional shortage area" has the meaning given in s. 36.60 (1) (aj).

(d) “Health service shortage area" means an area designated by the governor and certified by the federal secretary of health and human services under 42 USC 1395x as an area with a shortage of personal health services.

(e) “Medically underserved area" has the meaning given in 42 CFR Part 51c, section 102 (e).

(f) “Primary care medicine" means any of the following medical specialties:

1. Family practice.

2. Internal medicine.

3. Pediatrics.

4. General surgery.

(g) “Psychiatry" includes child psychiatry.

(h) “Underserved area" means a health professional shortage area, a health service shortage area, or a medically underserved area.

(2) Establishment of program. There is established, to be administered by the board, a primary care and psychiatry shortage grant program to encourage primary care physicians and psychiatrists who meet the eligibility requirements specified in sub. (3) to practice primary care medicine and psychiatry in underserved areas in this state by providing grants of financial assistance to those physicians and psychiatrists as provided in sub. (4).

(3) Eligibility. A physician or psychiatrist is eligible for financial assistance as provided under sub. (4) if the physician or psychiatrist meets all of the following requirements:

(a) He or she practices primary care medicine or psychiatry in an underserved area in this state.

(b) He or she graduated from a graduate medical education training program with an emphasis on primary care medicine or psychiatry.

(c) He or she does not appear on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the physician provides to the board a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a).

(4) Financial assistance.

(a)

1. From the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fp), the board shall grant financial assistance to physicians and psychiatrists who meet the eligibility requirements specified in sub. (3), who apply for participation in the grant program as provided in par. (b), and who submit claims for that financial assistance as provided in par. (c). From s. 20.235 (1) (fp), the board shall allocate not more than $750,000 for financial assistance under the grant program to physicians and not more than $750,000 for financial assistance under the grant program to psychiatrists.

2. The board may grant financial assistance under the grant program to no more than 12 physicians and no more than 12 psychiatrists in a fiscal year. If more than 12 physicians or more than 12 psychiatrists apply for participation in the grant program in a fiscal year, the board shall consider the order in which those applications are received and the health professional shortage area score, as determined by the health resources and services administration of the federal department of health and human services, of the underserved area in which the applicant is practicing primary care medicine or psychiatry in selecting participants in the grant program.

3. An individual physician or psychiatrist may receive financial assistance under the grant program in no more than 3 fiscal years.

(b) A physician or psychiatrist may apply for participation in the grant program by submitting an application to the board in a form prescribed by the board. A physician or psychiatrist may submit that application while the physician or psychiatrist is participating in a graduate medical education training program described in sub. (3) (b). The application shall include such information as the board may require to establish that the physician or psychiatrist meets the eligibility requirements specified in sub. (3) for participation in the grant program and any other information the board may require by rule promulgated under sub. (5).

(c) After each year in which a physician or psychiatrist who has been accepted for participation in the grant program practices primary care medicine or psychiatry in an underserved area in this state, the physician or psychiatrist may submit to the board a claim for financial assistance. The claim shall include the signature of the physician or psychiatrist and of a representative of the practice in which the physician or psychiatrist is employed or otherwise affiliated certifying that during the period for which financial assistance is claimed the physician or psychiatrist practiced primary care medicine or psychiatry in an underserved area in this state and such other information as the board may require by rule promulgated under sub. (5) to verify the physician's or psychiatrist's eligibility for financial assistance.

(d) If the board determines that a physician or psychiatrist who submits a claim for financial assistance under par. (c) is eligible to receive that assistance, the board shall provide that assistance, subject to the amounts available in the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (fp).

(5) Rules. The board shall promulgate rules to implement and administer this section. Those rules shall include rules specifying the information a physician or psychiatrist must include in an application for participation in the grant program under sub. (4) (b) and in a claim for financial assistance under sub. (4) (c).

History: 2013 a. 128; 2017 a. 59.