2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 40:2803 — Task force duties; reporting; termination

§2803.  Task force duties; reporting; termination

A.  The task force shall study and evaluate the process for increasing the family physician workforce in Louisiana and thereby reducing the number of primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSA's) in the state.

B.  The task force shall:

(1)  Identify programs that will promote student interest in rural and inner city health care careers as early as high school.

(2)  Examine programs which assist in identifying students for admission to medical school who are looking toward a career in family medicine.

(3)  Identify all existing state and federal education or training grants, loans, and scholarships which could apply or be amended to apply to medical and residency students, to obtain additional grants and funding from any and all public or private entities, including but not limited to:

(a)  United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(b)  United States Department of Agriculture.

(c)  Charitable organizations and foundations, including those sponsored by corporations.

(4)  Examine programs from states that can be duplicated in Louisiana and have been successful in encouraging physicians to set up their practices in rural and inner city areas, including tuition subsidies and loan forgiveness programs.

C.  Not later than February fifteenth of each year until its termination, the task force shall report to the secretary and the House and Senate Committees on Health and Welfare on its findings and include recommendations to the legislature on strategies for:

(1)  Increasing and maintaining financial support to family medicine residency programs.

(2)  Promoting student interest in rural and inner city medical careers.

(3)  Maintaining appropriate exposure to family medicine in the medical school curriculum.

(4)  Encouraging the formation of rural tracks for family medicine residencies.

(5)  Increasing procedural training in family medicine residencies.

(6)  Fostering the development of urban medicine training with a focus on the future inner city physician.

(7)  Increasing support for student housing during family medicine training and medical school.

(8)  Proposing a state tax credit for family medicine preceptors.

(9)  Promoting and expanding the "Choose Louisiana" and the "Higher Education Loan Program for Teachers" loan forgiveness programs to include medical students who establish family medicine practices in rural or inner city areas.

(10)  Initiating efforts for recruitment and retention of primary care professionals through the state loan repayment program, and any other similar programs to increase the number of health care professionals in rural and inner city areas.

(11)  Proposals to increase the supply of physicians and other health care providers to the underserved areas of the state.  The task force may seek grants and financial inducements to entice medical students to locate in the rural and inner city areas and may seek funds for equipment and start-up costs for medical providers wishing to locate to underserved areas.

(12)  Proposals for other loan, grant, and scholarship programs.

(13)  Improving Medicaid reimbursement.

(14)  Funding recommendations of the task force.

D.  The task force shall terminate on September 1, 2008.

Acts 2004, No. 187, §1; Acts 2006, No. 331, §1.