Bill > A2801

This bill renames and expands the Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption Program to the Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program, broadening its scope to include psychiatric and other health care professionals experiencing critical statewide labor shortages. The bill increases the maximum loan redemption amount from $120,000 to $200,000 and modifies eligibility criteria to include more types of healthcare providers and sites. Key changes include allowing participants to work part-time after their initial two years, establishing a more detailed prioritization system for selecting program participants, and requiring annual reporting on the program's impact. The program continues to focus on serving medically underserved areas, with new provisions that automatically designate certain sites as approved, such as locations in areas with high poverty rates or those serving a high percentage of Medicaid patients. The bill also adds new reporting requirements, mandating an annual report to the Governor and Legislature that includes detailed information about program participants, loan redemption amounts, and the program's effectiveness in addressing healthcare workforce needs in underserved communities.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A2801