Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program.

Existing law establishes the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program (program) in the California Physician Corps Program within the Department of Health Care Access and Information, which provides financial incentives, including repayment of educational loans, to a physician and surgeon who practices for 3 years in a medically underserved area, as defined, and in specified practice settings, as defined. Existing law requires the department to establish an advisory committee, in consultation with the Medical Board of California and specified individuals, to provide ongoing management of the program. Existing law authorizes the department to award up to 20% of the available positions to program applicants from specialties outside of primary care specialties. Existing law establishes the Medically Underserved Account for Physicians (account) , a continuously appropriated account, within the Health Professions Education Fund, to primarily provide funding for the ongoing operations of the program. Existing law prohibits loan repayments under the program from exceeding $105,000 per individual licensed physician, and from exceeding the amount of the educational loans incurred by the physician participant. This bill would remove the requirement for the department to establish an advisory committee and update the definition of the practice setting in which a physician and surgeon may practice. The bill would decrease the service obligation to 2 years in a medically underserved area. The bill would authorize the department to create additional positions, not using funds from the account, for applicants from specialties outside of the primary specialties and that are not subject to the 20% limit. The bill would also remove the maximum limit for loan repayments per individual licensed physician that may be provided to a program participant who has completed 3 consecutive years of providing services as a physician in a medically underserved area. By expanding the authorization amount for the use of moneys in the Medically Underserved Account for Physicians, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would also make confirming changes.