This bill implements certain recommendations of the Commission Regarding Foreign- trained Physicians Living in Maine and is being reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services pursuant to Resolve
2023, chapter 93, section 8. The committee is reporting out the bill for the sole purpose of having a bill printed that can be referred to the committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing in the normal course and has not taken a substantive position on the bill. The committee is taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency in the legislative review of the proposals contained in the bill. The bill does the following.
1. It directs the Department of Labor to contract with a 3rd-party entity to provide an assistance program and a clinical readiness program for international medical graduates.
2. It directs the Finance Authority of Maine to provide a loan program on a pilot basis for the purpose of providing financial assistance to attend an approved education program in this State in order to join the State's health care workforce, to international medical graduates residing in this State who are unable to qualify for any existing federal or state education loan programs.
3. It directs the Office of Policy Innovation and the Future to coordinate with appropriate educational institutions to develop programs for international medical graduates residing in this State to gain entry into and complete educational programs in alternative health care careers, such as physician assistant, nurse or nurse practitioner programs, to ensure that the State is effectively incorporating immigrants into the State's health care workforce and communities and to strengthen the State's economy.