A3620

An Act concerning medical education and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. As used in this section:

“Accredited State-supported medical school” means one of the four public medical schools in the State: Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, or Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

“Graduate medical education program” means a supervised residency training period or fellowship accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

“Resident” means an applicant who resided in the State at the time of the applicant’s graduation from a high school in the State.

“Third and fourth year student clerkships” means the supervised practice of medicine by medical students that usually takes place during the third and fourth years of medical school.

b. A teaching hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) that accepts State funding for graduate medical education programs shall grant priority consideration to an otherwise competitive applicant who is a resident or who is enrolled and in good academic standing at an accredited medical school in the State when considering applicants for placement in a residency or fellowship at that hospital. The failure of a teaching hospital to grant such priority consideration shall result in the reallocation by the State of 20 percent of the teaching hospital’s Medicaid funding for graduate medical education programs.

c. A teaching hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-l et seq.) that accepts State funding for graduate medical education programs shall grant priority consideration for placement in third and fourth year student clerkships at the hospital to medical students who are enrolled and in good academic standing at an accredited State-supported medical school. The failure of a teaching hospital to grant such priority consideration shall result in the reallocation by the State of 20 percent of the teaching hospital’s Medicaid funding for graduate medical education programs.

d. A teaching hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-l et seq.) that accepts State funding for graduate medical education programs shall grant priority consideration to any written request made by the administration of an accredited State-supported medical school for placements in third and fourth year student clerkships at that hospital for students of that accredited State-supported medical school. Following receipt of such a request, a teaching hospital shall either, reduce, within one academic year, the number of third and fourth year clerkships provided to students enrolled in medical schools outside of the State as necessary to fulfill the request of the accredited State-supported medical school, or, 20 percent of the teaching hospital’s Medicaid funding for graduate medical education programs shall be reallocated by the State to a teaching hospital that fulfills the request by the administration of an accredited State-supported medical school for placements for its students in third and fourth year student clerkships.

2. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as are necessary to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program. The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health shall prescribe such procedures and forms, and take such other actions, as the commissioners determine necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.

3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the State fiscal year next commencing after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill provides that a teaching hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) that accepts State funding for graduate medical education programs is to grant priority consideration to an otherwise competitive applicant who is a resident or who is enrolled and in good academic standing at an accredited medical school in the State when considering applicants for placement in a residency or fellowship at that hospital. Failure to grant such priority consideration would result in the reallocation by the State of 20 percent of the hospital’s Medicaid funding for graduate medical education programs.

The bill further provides that any teaching hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-l et seq.) that accepts State funding for graduate medical education programs is to grant priority consideration for third and fourth year student clerkships at the hospital to medical students who are enrolled and in good academic standing at an accredited State-supported medical school. Failure to grant such priority consideration would result in the reallocation by the State of 20 percent of the hospital’s Medicaid funding for graduate medical education programs.

The bill also provides that a teaching hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-l et seq.) that accepts State funding for graduate medical education programs is to grant priority consideration to any written request made by the administration of an accredited State-supported medical school for placements in third and fourth year student clerkships at that hospital for students of that medical school. Following receipt of such a request, a teaching hospital is to either, reduce, within one academic year, the number of third and fourth year clerkships provided to students enrolled in medical schools outside of the State, as necessary to fulfill the request, or 20 percent of the hospital’s Medicaid funding for graduate medical education programs would be reallocated to a teaching hospital that fulfills the request by the administration of an accredited State-supported medical school for placements for its students in third and fourth year student clerkships.

The bill authorizes the Commissioner of Human Services to apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as are necessary to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program. The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, is to prescribe such procedures and forms, and take such other actions, as the commissioners determine necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.