Rule 195-25-.02 - Eligibility Criteria and Application Process(1) Eligibility Criteria. Program eligibility is limited to applicants who meet the following criteria: (a) Licensed with no restrictions and in good standing to practice medicine in Georgia by the Georgia Composite Medical Board.(b) Agree to practice full-time (a minimum of forty hours per week) in a Board-approved practice location in a rural and underserved community in Georgia designated by the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce.(c) Must maintain a Georgia Medicaid number and directly actively treat Medicaid and/or Peachcare patients. Recipient will not knowingly restrict Medicaid/Peachcare recipients as part of their practice.(d) Must not have other contractual service obligations, such as National Health Service Corps Scholarships or Military Service Obligations.(e) Must have medical education or undergraduate loans for repayment in good standing and must not have any loans in default status even if the creditor now considers the defaulted loan to be in good standing.(f) Must be eligible to take the exam for board certification from the appropriate specialty board during the first, second, or third service period. Repayment assistance cannot be provided if the physician has not earned and maintained board certification by the fourth year.(g) Must meet all other requirements the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce sets forth.(h) Previous award winners in the Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance loan repayment program may apply, provided the sum of their previous awards does not exceed $50,000.(2) Application Process. Each applicant must: (a) Submit a completed application form.(b) Submit a copy of the promissory note, which required the loan proceeds to be used to pay for the cost of attendance of the medical education program. The loan must have originated before the date of the application being released. Full disclosure of all outstanding medical education and training debt is required.(c) Submit a copy of the contract between the practice entity and the applicant or a letter of attestation from the applicant documenting a commitment to full-time (40+ hours per week) practice in the rural community where the practice is located.(d) Attest that the applicant does not have any other current service obligations, such as National Health Service Corps Scholarships or Military Service Obligations. Participants in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program can continue.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 195-25-.02
O.C.G.A. §31-34.
Original Rule entitled "Eligibility Criteria and Application Process" adopted. F. Apr. 2, 2024; eff. Apr. 22, 2024.