1998 Minnesota Statutes

     144.1495 Midlevel practitioners. 

    Subdivision 1.    Definitions.  For purposes of this 
 section, the following definitions apply: 

    (a) "Designated rural area" has the definition developed in 
 rule by the commissioner. 

    (b) "Midlevel practitioner" means a nurse practitioner, 
 nurse-midwife, nurse anesthetist, advanced clinical nurse 
 specialist, or physician assistant. 

    (c) "Nurse-midwife" means a registered nurse who has 
 graduated from a program of study designed to prepare registered 
 nurses for advance practice as nurse-midwives. 

    (d) "Nurse practitioner" means a registered nurse who has 
 graduated from a program of study designed to prepare registered 
 nurses for advance practice as nurse practitioners. 

    (e) "Physician assistant" means a person registered under 
 chapter 147A. 

    Subd. 2.    Creation of account.  A midlevel 
 practitioner education account is established in the health care 
 access fund.  The commissioner shall use money from the account 
 to establish a loan forgiveness program for midlevel 
 practitioners agreeing to practice in designated rural areas.  

    Subd. 3.    Eligibility.  To be eligible to participate 
 in the program, a prospective midlevel practitioner must submit 
 a letter of interest to the commissioner prior to or while 
 attending a program of study designed to prepare the individual 
 for service as a midlevel practitioner.  A midlevel practitioner 
 student who is accepted into this program must sign a contract 
 to agree to serve at least two of the first four years following 
 graduation from the program in a designated rural area. 

    Subd. 4.    Loan forgiveness.  The commissioner may 
 accept up to eight applicants per year for participation in the 
 loan forgiveness program.  Applicants are responsible for 
 securing their own loans.  Applicants chosen to participate in 
 the loan forgiveness program may designate for each year of 
 midlevel practitioner study, up to a maximum of two years, an 
 agreed amount, not to exceed $7,000, as a qualified loan.  For 
 purposes of this provision, "qualifying educational loans" are 
 government and commercial loans for actual costs paid for 
 tuition, reasonable education expenses, and reasonable living 
 expenses related to the graduate or undergraduate education of a 
 health care professional.  For each year that a participant 
 serves as a midlevel practitioner in a designated rural area, up 
 to a maximum of four years, the commissioner shall annually 
 repay an amount equal to one-half a qualified loan.  
 Participants who move their practice from one designated rural 
 area to another remain eligible for loan repayment.  

    Subd. 5.    Penalty for nonfulfillment.  If a 
 participant does not fulfill the service commitment required 
 under subdivision 4 for full repayment of all qualified loans, 
 the commissioner shall collect from the participant 100 percent 
 of any payments made for qualified loans and interest at a rate 
 established according to section 270.75.  The commissioner shall 
 deposit the money collected in the midlevel practitioner 
 education account established in subdivision 2.  The 
 commissioner shall allow waivers of all or part of the money 
 owed the commissioner if emergency circumstances prevented 
 fulfillment of the required service commitment.  

    HIST: 1992 c 549 art 6 s 3; 1993 c 345 art 11 s 6,7; 1995 c 
 205 art 2 s 2; 1995 c 212 art 3 s 57,59; 1995 c 234 art 8 s 
 25,26