35-1-1101. Provider recruitment grant program.

(a) There is created the Wyoming provider recruitment program administered by the department.

(b) There is created the Wyoming provider recruitment account. Funds in the account are continuously appropriated to the department to provide grants for provider recruitment. Up to ten percent (10%) of the funds may be used to advertise the provider recruitment program.

(c) The department shall solicit provider recruitment applications from hospitals, physicians and others seeking to recruit providers. The applications shall be prioritized by need based on geographic area, then by medical need within the geographic area. Priority shall be given to recruitment of private practice providers. The department shall issue award letters to the persons or entities receiving grant authorizations within sixty (60) days after the close of an application period. The grant authorizations shall authorize the person or entity receiving it, for a period of one (1) year, to make a firm offer of recruitment incorporating the benefits authorized by this section to a candidate, conditioned upon Wyoming licensure and the candidate's signed written agreement to the conditions of this section.

(d) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to administer the program, including provisions for:

(i) Application forms for grants under the program;

(ii) Termination of grants and full or partial repayment if a provider fails to comply with the conditions of this section, rules and regulations of the department adopted pursuant to this section or the terms of the written incentive agreement;

(iii) Reporting requirements for grant recipients.

(e) Grants provided under this section shall be subject to the following:

(i) The provider shall be recruited to a stipulated geographic area;

(ii) A provider shall relocate his practice to the state of Wyoming from outside of the state to be eligible for a grant. Providers relocating to the state of Wyoming to become employed by the state or by the United States shall not be eligible for grants. The requirement to relocate pursuant to this paragraph shall not apply to providers recruited from a family practice residency in the state or recruitment of providers employed by the United States department of defense;

(iii) The recruitment conditions between a hospital and a physician shall meet the conditions set forth in 42 C.F.R. 411.357(e), as amended;

(iv) Recruitment of new providers shall be based on demonstrable need. Those recruiting persons or entities demonstrating the greatest need, in the discretion of the department shall be given the highest priority in receiving grants pursuant to this section;

(v) All recruitment incentives shall be in writing and shall be reported on federal income tax forms;

(vi) The recruited provider shall agree to provide medical services in the community to which he was recruited for a period of not less than two (2) years or the recruiting entity shall repay any monies granted under subparagraphs (e)(viii)(B) through (D) of this section to the state of Wyoming plus interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum;

(vii) The recruited provider shall agree to provide medical care for not less than two (2) years 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 health care provider is qualified to provide or the recruiting entity shall repay any monies granted under this section to the state of Wyoming plus interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum;

(viii) Costs reimbursed through grants under the program shall be documented by the provider as required by the department and may include:

(A) As incentive to the provider recruitment process, recruitment actual costs, up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per recruited provider, may be awarded to the successful recruiting person or entity paying those costs;

(B) Relocation expenses, not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00);

(C) Malpractice insurance premium for two (2) years, not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per year;

(D) Signing bonuses not to exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00).

(ix) Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 89, § 2.

(x) Repealed by Laws 2015, ch. 89, § 2.

(f) As used in this section:

(i) "Department" means the department of health;

(ii) "Hospital" means a county memorial, rural health care district or special hospital district formed and licensed under the laws of the state;

(iii) "Physician" means an individual licensed or eligible to be licensed under the laws of this state to practice medicine;

(iv) "Program" means the Wyoming provider recruitment grant program;

(v) "Recruiting entity" means a hospital, physician, clinic or other appropriate local organization;

(vi) "Provider" means an individual licensed or eligible to be licensed in a health care profession under title 33 of the Wyoming statutes.