After June 1, 1992, the board, in consultation with the department and the department of social and health services, shall:

     (1) Establish the annual award amount for each credentialed health care profession which shall be based upon an assessment of reasonable annual eligible expenses involved in training and education for each credentialed health care profession. The annual award amount may be established at a level less than annual eligible expenses. The annual award amount shall be established by the board for each eligible health profession. The awards shall not be paid for more than a maximum of five years per individual;

     (2) Determine any scholarship awards for prospective physicians in such a manner to require the recipients declare an interest in serving in rural areas of the state of Washington. Preference for scholarships shall be given to students who reside in a rural physician shortage area or a nonshortage rural area of the state prior to admission to the eligible education and training program in medicine. Highest preference shall be given to students seeking admission who are recommended by sponsoring communities and who declare the intent of serving as a physician in a rural area. The board may require the sponsoring community located in a nonshortage rural area to financially contribute to the eligible expenses of a medical student if the student will serve in the nonshortage rural area;

     (3) Establish the required service obligation for each credentialed health care profession, which shall be no less than three years or no more than five years. The required service obligation may be based upon the amount of the scholarship or loan repayment award such that higher awards involve longer service obligations on behalf of the participant;

     (4) Determine eligible education and training programs for purposes of the scholarship portion of the program;

     (5) Honor loan repayment and scholarship contract terms negotiated between the board and participants prior to May 21, 1991, concerning loan repayment and scholarship award amounts and service obligations authorized under chapter 28B.115, *28B.104, or 70.180 RCW.

[1993 c 492 § 271; 1991 c 332 § 21.]

NOTES:

     *Reviser's note: Chapter 28B.104 RCW was repealed by 1991 sp.s. c 27 § 2.

     Finding -- 1993 c 492: "The legislature finds that the successful implementation of health care reform will depend on a sufficient supply of primary health care providers throughout the state. Many rural and medically underserved urban areas lack primary health care providers and because of this, basic health care services are limited or unavailable to populations living in these areas. The legislature has in recent years initiated new programs to address these provider shortages but funding has been insufficient and additional specific provider shortages remain." [1993 c 492 § 269.]

     Findings -- Intent -- 1993 c 492: See notes following RCW 43.20.050.

     Short title -- Severability -- Savings -- Captions not law -- Reservation of legislative power -- Effective dates -- 1993 c 492: See RCW 43.72.910 through 43.72.915.