Bill Text: FL S0764 | 2018 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

---

Bill Title: Dental Student Loan Repayment Program

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)

Status: (Failed) 2018-03-10 - Died in Messages [S0764 Detail]

Download: Florida-2018-S0764-Comm_Sub.html

---

       Florida Senate - 2018                              CS for SB 764
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senators Bean, Mayfield,
       and Perry
       
       
       
       
       576-03568-18                                           2018764c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Dental Student Loan Repayment
    3         Program; creating s. 381.4019, F.S.; establishing the
    4         Dental Student Loan Repayment Program to support
    5         dentists who practice in public health programs
    6         located in certain underserved areas; providing
    7         definitions; requiring the Department of Health to
    8         establish the loan program; providing for the award of
    9         funds; providing the maximum number of years funds may
   10         be awarded; providing eligibility requirements;
   11         requiring the department to adopt rules; providing an
   12         effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 381.4019, Florida Statutes, is created
   17  to read:
   18         381.4019 Dental Student Loan Repayment Program.—Subject to
   19  the availability of funds, the Legislature establishes the
   20  Dental Student Loan Repayment Program to promote access to
   21  dental care by supporting qualified dentists who treat medically
   22  underserved populations in dental health professional shortage
   23  areas or medically underserved areas. The Legislature recognizes
   24  that maintaining good oral health is integral to overall health
   25  status and that the good health of residents in this state is an
   26  important contributing factor in state economic development.
   27  Better health, including better oral health, increases workplace
   28  productivity, reduces the burden of health care costs, and
   29  improves the cognitive development of children.
   30         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   31         (a) “Dental health professional shortage area” means a
   32  geographic area designated as such by the Health Resources and
   33  Services Administration of the United States Department of
   34  Health and Human Services.
   35         (b) “Department” means the Department of Health.
   36         (c) “Loan program” means the Dental Student Loan Repayment
   37  Program.
   38         (d) “Medically underserved area” means a geographic area,
   39  an area having a special population, or a facility which is
   40  designated by department rule as a health professional shortage
   41  area as defined by federal regulation and which has a shortage
   42  of dental health professionals who serve Medicaid recipients and
   43  other low-income patients.
   44         (e) “Public health program” means a county health
   45  department, the Children’s Medical Services program, a federally
   46  funded community health center, a federally funded migrant
   47  health center, or other publicly funded or nonprofit health care
   48  program designated by the department.
   49         (2) The department shall establish a dental student loan
   50  repayment program to benefit Florida-licensed dentists who
   51  demonstrate, as required by department rule, active employment
   52  in a public health program that serves Medicaid recipients and
   53  other low-income patients and is located in a dental health
   54  professional shortage area or a medically underserved area.
   55         (3) The department shall award funds from the loan program
   56  to repay the student loans of a dentist who meets the
   57  requirements of subsection (2).
   58         (a) An award may not exceed $50,000 per year per eligible
   59  dentist.
   60         (b) Only loans to pay the costs of tuition, books, dental
   61  equipment and supplies, uniforms, and living expenses shall be
   62  covered.
   63         (c) All repayments shall be contingent upon continued proof
   64  of eligibility and shall be made directly to the holder of the
   65  loan. The state shall bear no responsibility for the collection
   66  of any interest charges or other remaining balances.
   67         (d) A dentist is eligible to receive funds under the loan
   68  program for at least 1 year, up to a maximum of 5 years.
   69         (e) The department shall limit the number of new dentists
   70  participating in the loan program to no more than 10 per fiscal
   71  year.
   72         (4) A dentist is no longer eligible to receive funds under
   73  the loan program if the dentist:
   74         (a) Is no longer employed by a public health program that
   75  meets the requirements of subsection (2).
   76         (b) Ceases to participate in the Florida Medicaid program.
   77         (c) Has disciplinary action taken against his or her
   78  license by the Board of Dentistry for a violation of s. 466.028.
   79         (5) The department shall adopt rules to administer the loan
   80  program.
   81         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.