HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL 480

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH; CREATING A GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM; CREATING THE GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM FUND; PROVIDING FUNDING TO CREATE AND EXPAND PHYSICIAN RESIDENCY PROGRAMS; CREATING THE GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EXPANSION REVIEW BOARD; PROVIDING DUTIES; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. [NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Graduate Medical Education Expansion Grant Program Act".

     SECTION 2. [NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Graduate Medical Education Expansion Grant Program Act:

          A. "department" means the human services department;

          B. "graduate medical education training program" means a program that has received approval or is in the process of seeking approval to operate as a graduate medical education training program sponsor from the appropriate professional association that evaluates and accredits medical residency and internship programs, including:

                (1) a licensed and accredited hospital;

                (2) an academic medical education institution;

                (3) a new freestanding graduate medical education program;

                (4) an established or new graduate medical education training consortium; and

                (5) a federally qualified health center; and

          C. "secretary" means the secretary of human services.

     SECTION 3. [NEW MATERIAL] GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM--FUND--DISTRIBUTIONS--APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS--PRIORITIES FOR AWARDS--REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.--

          A. The "graduate medical education expansion grant program fund" is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of money appropriated by the legislature. Money in the fund shall not revert to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year. The secretary shall administer the fund, and money in the fund is appropriated to the department to administer the provisions of the Graduate Medical Education Expansion Grant Program Act. Money in the fund may be utilized to secure federal and private matching funds as determined by the secretary. Money in the fund shall be disbursed on warrants signed by the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the secretary of human services or the secretary's authorized representative.

          B. To receive a grant, a graduate medical education training program shall apply to the graduate medical education expansion grant program, pursuant to rules adopted by the secretary. Grant amounts will be determined by each entity's grant application. Funds from the graduate medical education expansion grant program fund shall be distributed to graduate medical education training programs to develop and implement graduate medical education training programs. The application must include the applicant's plan to receive accreditation for the positions within the graduate medical education training program.

          C. The department may provide one-time planning grants to graduate medical education training programs pursuant to rules adopted by the secretary.

          D. The department may provide graduate medical education grants to:

                (1) establish new graduate medical education training programs with first-year positions;

                (2) fund unfilled, accredited first-year positions within a graduate medical education training program;

                (3) expand the number of first-year positions within an existing graduate medical education training program; and

                (4) fund existing graduate medical education training programs.

          E. The department may prioritize applications that emphasize the following:

                (1) developing new or expanded programs with specialties of psychiatry, family medicine, pediatric medicine and internal medicine;

                (2) increasing positions for medical specialities having shortages within the state, with preference being given to the primary care specialties of family medicine, pediatric medicine and internal medicine; and

                (3) increasing primary care positions in medically underserved areas within the state.

          F. Each award recipient shall report annually to the graduate medical education expansion review board on the:

                (1) expenditures of grant funds; and

                (2) plans for unexpended funds.

     SECTION 4. [NEW MATERIAL] GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EXPANSION REVIEW BOARD--CREATED--DUTIES.--

          A. Prior to October 1, 2019, the department shall create the "graduate medical education expansion review board" to:

                (1) develop a state strategic plan for expanding graduate medical education training programs;

                (2) review grant applications; and

                (3) review the grants awarded pursuant to the Graduate Medical Education Expansion Grant Program Act.

          B. The graduate medical education expansion review board shall consist of nine members who shall be appointed by the department. The review board shall include representation from each accredited osteopathic and allopathic medical school and from the following groups:

                (1) the department;

                (2) the higher education department;

                (3) hospitals, primary care consortiums and medical organizations; and

                (4) osteopathic and allopathic medical professional societies and associations.

          C. The chair of the review board shall be elected by the review board. The review board shall meet at the call of the chair.

          D. Members of the review board shall not be paid per diem and mileage or other compensation for their services.

          E. The secretary shall provide staff support for the review board in the performance of its duties.

          F. A simple majority of the review board members constitutes a quorum. A member of the review board shall abstain from voting or the member's vote shall be disqualified on any matter in which the member has a pecuniary interest.

          G. The secretary of human services and the secretary of higher education shall assist the graduate medical education expansion review board in developing a strategic plan for the expansion of graduate medical education training programs, which shall include the following:

                (1) a statement describing the objectives and goals of the review board, the strategies by which those goals will be achieved and a time line for achieving those goals;

                (2) a summary of the current graduate medical education training programs throughout the state;

                (3) a five-year plan for expanding graduate medical education training programs in the state;

                (4) an evaluation of the standards and curriculum guidelines for graduate medical education training programs;

                (5) an ongoing evaluation process of funds distributed through the graduate medical education expansion grant program that is overseen by the review board; and

                (6) a plan to ensure long-term sustainability.

          H. The graduate medical education expansion review board shall review applications to the graduate medical education expansion grant program and provide recommendations to the secretary.

     SECTION 5. APPROPRIATION.--Five million dollars ($5,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the graduate medical education expansion grant program fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2020 and subsequent fiscal years for the purposes of that fund. No more than five percent of this

appropriation shall be used by the human services department for administrative expenses. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

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