A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 43-21-200, RELATING TO THE GERIATRIC PHYSICIAN LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM, SO AS TO EXPAND THE POOL OF ELIGIBLE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND TO INCREASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REIMBURSABLE LOANS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.  Section 43-21-200(C) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

    (C)(1) A physician accepted for the program shall execute a contract with the department in which the physician agrees:

           (a) to practice in this State for no fewer than five consecutive years immediately following completion of his or her fellowship;

           (b) to accept Medicare and Medicaid patients;

           (c) to accept reimbursement or contractual binding rates;  and

           (d) not to discriminate against patients based on the ability to pay.

       (2) Upon execution of the contract, the department shall reimburse student loan payments made by the physician during the last completed calendar quarter. No more than four physicians or other qualified health professionals a year may participate in the program unless sufficient funding is available to reimburse, in accordance with this section, more than four physicians a year. The total amount that may be reimbursed to one physician is thirty-fivefifty thousand dollars multiplied by the number of years of the fellowship completed, prorated for periods less than one year if awarded to a physician participating in a fellowship program.

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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