An Act to Assist Visual Care Providers in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0715
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: STANLEY, PARADIS, HATCH, KNEELAND, CARR, DAVIS, GOODWIN
Amends: 20-A MRSA §12101

Legislative Document 
No. 715 
S.P.253 
In Senate, February 14,2003 
An Act to Assist Visual Care Providers in the State 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator STANLEY of Penobscot. 
Cosponsored by Representative PARADIS of Frenchville and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: HATCH of Somerset, KNEELAND of Aroostook, Representatives: CARR of 
Lincoln, DAVIS of Falmouth, GOODWIN of Pembroke, HATCH of Skowhegan. 
Printed on re<:yc1cd paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 20-A MRSA §12101. sub-§8, as amended by PL 1995, c. 
117, Pt. D, §1 and affected by §3, is further amended to read: 
8. 
Primary 
health 
care. 
"Primary 
health 
care" 
means 
general 
or 
family 
practice 
of 
medicine, 
general 
internal 
medicine, general pediatrics, general dentistry, ophthalmology, 
optometry and obstetrics and gynecology. 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRS A §12104. sub-§5, -,rA. as amended by PL 1995, 
c. 117, Pt. D, §2 and affected by §3, is further amended to read: 
A. 
Upon completion of 
shall 
repay 
the 
loan 
schedule. 
professional education the student 
in 
accordance 
with 
the 
following 
(1) 
A 
loan 
recipient 
who 
does 
not 
obtain 
loan 
forgiveness pursuant to this section shall repay the 
entire 
principal 
portion 
of 
the 
loan 
plus 
simple 
interest at a rate to be determined by rule of the 
authority. 
Interest does not begin to accrue until the 
loan recipient completes medical education, including 
residency and internship. 
The authority may establish 
differing interest rates to encourage loan recipients 
to practice primary health care medicine in the State. 
(2) 
Primary 
health 
care 
FRysieiaRs 
providers 
and 
dentists practicing in a designated health professional 
shortage 
area, 
any 
physician, 
ophthalmologist 
or 
optometrist practicing in an underserved specialty or 
any physician, ophthalmologist or optometrist providing 
services 
to 
a 
designated 
underserved 
group 
a~e is 
forgiven the larger of 25% of the original outstanding 
indebtedness plus any accrued interest or $7,500 for 
each year of practice. 
providers and dentists 
not 
practicing 
in 
a 
shortage 
area, 
are 
of 
the 
original 
accrued interest or 
Primary health care FRysieiaRs 
practicing in the 
State, 
but 
designated 
health 
professional 
forgiven 
the 
larger 
of 
12.5% 
outstanding indebtedness plus any 
$3,750 for each year of practice. 
(3) 
Veterinarians 
providing 
services 
to 
Maine 
residents 
with insufficient veterinary services 
are 
forgiven the larger of 25% of the original outstanding 
Page l-LR0796(1) 
• 
indebtedness plus any accrued interest or $7,500 for 
each year of practice. 
(4) 
Any student completing an entire residency at any 
primary health care residency program in the State is 
forgiven 
50g,0 of the original outstanding indebtedness 
for 
each 
year 
of 
practice 
1n 
a 
designated health 
professional shortage area, as a physician practicing 
in an underserved specialty or as a physician providing 
services to an underserved group or 25% of the original 
outstanding 
indebtedness 
for 
each 
year 
of 
primary 
health care practice in the State. 
SUMMARY 
This bill expands the loan forgiveness aspect of the Health 
Professions 
Loan 
Program 
to 
include 
ophthalmologists 
and 
optometrists practicing in health professional shortage areas, 
practicing in underserved specialty areas or providing services 
to 
a 
designated 
underserved 
group 
as 
determined 
by 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Human 
Services. 
Currently 
dentists 
and 
physicians 
practicing 
general 
or 
family 
medicine, 
internal 
medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology qualify for loan 
forgiveness under the program.