§11804-A. Agreement for contract students after July 1, 1981 and prior to January 1, 1993
1.
Agreement.
Any state contract student commencing professional education on or after July 1, 1981 and prior to January 1, 1993 shall, as a condition precedent to the commencement of the education, enter into an agreement with the State under which the student shall agree:
A.
To pay tuition to the institution; and
[PL 1983, c. 862, §67 (NEW).]
B.
Upon the conclusion of professional education, including internship, residency, fellowship, obligated public health service and obligated national service, to pay the State an amount of money equal to the difference between the nonresident tuition at the institution being attended by the state contract student and the tuition charged the state contract student.
(1)
This amount is payable at 9% simple annual interest over a period not to exceed 10 years; however, students may extend the repayment period by one to 10 years with the approval of the chief executive officer for a total repayment period not to exceed 20 years.
(2)
These installment payments commence upon conclusion of the state contract student's professional education under rules adopted by the authority.
[PL 1991, c. 832, §4 (AMD).]
After March 16, 1990, the agreement provided for in this subsection must be entered into by the student and the authority.
[PL 1991, c. 832, §4 (AMD).]
2.
Forgiveness.
Any student who, upon the conclusion of the student's professional education, including, if applicable, internship, residency, fellowship, obligated public health service and obligated national service, elects to serve as a practitioner of allopathic medicine, dentistry, optometry or veterinary medicine in a designated, underserved area in the State is forgiven 25% of the original outstanding indebtedness for each year of that practice.
A.
Any student electing to complete an entire residency at any family practice residency program in the State is forgiven 50% of the original outstanding indebtedness upon completion.
[PL 1991, c. 612, §5 (NEW).]
B.
Any student electing to serve as a practitioner of allopathic medicine or any other underserved specialty area established by rule under this chapter who practices in an underserved geographic area is forgiven the larger of 25% of the original outstanding indebtedness or $10,000 for each year of that practice.
[PL 1991, c. 612, §5 (NEW).]
Any student who elects to practice in the State and receives the benefits of these provisions shall provide a reasonable level of service to all patients regardless of their ability to pay, including Medicare and Medicaid patients, and participate in public health clinics where necessary.
This subsection applies to all contract students commencing their professional education on or after July 1, 1981 and prior to January 1, 1993.
[PL 1991, c. 832, §4 (AMD).]
3.
Determination.
The Commissioner of Health and Human Services shall determine underserved areas for the practice of allopathic medicine, dentistry and optometry.
The Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall determine underserved areas for the practice of veterinary medicine.
[PL 1985, c. 455, §6, 11 (RPR); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §7 (REV).]
4.
Deferment.
Contract students under this section who, during the repayment period, either return to a Maine practice and then leave the State or initially remain outside the State and then return to a Maine practice may seek a deferment of the annual principal and interest payments while outside the State for a period of time not to exceed 3 years. Interest must be assessed during this time and the student's total debt to the authority, including principal and interest, must be repaid either through return service or cash payments as established by the chief executive officer. Requests for deferments must be made to the chief executive officer, who shall make a determination on a case-by-case basis. The decision of the chief executive officer is final.
[PL 1991, c. 832, §4 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1983, c. 862, §67 (NEW). PL 1985, c. 455, §§4-6,11 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 737, §A44 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 402, §A123 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 698, §§18,19 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 612, §5 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 832, §4 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 689, §B7 (REV).