Existing law provides for various programs for the improvement of public health and health care in this State. (NRS 433.702-433.744, 439.4921-439.5297, 439.600-439.690, 439A.111-439A.185, 439A.200-439A.290, 442.710-442.745, 457.230-457.280, 458.025, 458A.090, 458A.100, 458A.110) Section 10 of this bill establishes the Statewide Health Care Access and Recruitment Grant Program, which is a competitive grant program managed by the Nevada Health Authority to support projects to address critical shortages of providers of health care or clinical services or expertise in this State. Sections 3-7 of this bill define certain terms, and section 2 of this bill establishes the applicability of those definitions. Section 8 of this bill creates the Statewide Health Care Access and Recruitment Program Account to hold money to fund the Program. Section 8 authorizes the Director of the Authority, with the approval of the Interim Finance Committee, to transfer money from the Account to another account for the purpose of obtaining additional federal financial participation under Medicaid. Section 25 of this bill authorizes the Interim Finance Committee to issue such approval during a legislative session. Section 9 of this bill requires the Authority to conduct a biennial assessment of the health care needs of this State, which must identify: (1) the total number of providers of health care in this State who practice different professions and specialties and; (2) the types of clinical services and expertise and the geographic areas experiencing critical shortages of providers of health care and clinical services or expertise. Section 27 of this bill provides that such an assessment is not a regulation and is therefore not subject to notice and comment rulemaking. Section 38 of this bill requires the Authority to utilize existing assessments in lieu of conducting the first scheduled assessment on or before July 1, 2026. Section 10 authorizes certain entities involved in the provision of health care, governmental entities and certain nonprofit organizations to apply for a grant of money from the Account to support a project to address such critical shortages. Section 10 imposes certain additional requirements for a project to be eligible to receive such funding, including a requirement that certain applicants have secured matching financial or in-kind contributions valued at an amount at least equal to the amount of the grant being sought. Section 11 of this bill prescribes the required contents of an application for such a grant. Sections 12 and 13 of this bill prescribe the process for the Authority to review applications and, with the approval of the Interim Finance Committee, award grants. Section 25 authorizes the Interim Finance Committee to issue such approval during a legislative session. After a grant is awarded, section 14 of this bill requires the Authority to enter into a funding agreement with the grantee that outlines the terms and conditions of the grant and the responsibilities of the grantee. Section 15 of this bill requires a grantee to notify and submit a revised plan to the Authority if: (1) the grantee significantly modifies a funded project; (2) the amount of money available for a funded project changes; (3) a funded project becomes inactive for at least 12 months; or (4) a funded project is terminated. Section 15 authorizes the Authority to take certain actions in response to such notice. Section 16 of this bill authorizes the Authority and the Office of Finance to provide certain oversight of a funded project. Section 17 of this bill authorizes the Authority to suspend or terminate a grant or take certain other actions if it determines that the grantee fails to comply with a funding agreement. Section 17 also requires the Authority to suspend or terminate a grant if it determines that the grantee has violated applicable law, misused funds or submitted fraudulent information to the Authority. Upon the completion of a funded project and again 10 years after the completion of a funded project, section 18 of this bill requires the grantee to submit a report to the Authority concerning the project. Section 26 of this bill includes administering the Program within the general duties of the Authority. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of: (1) physicians, physician assistants, anesthesiologist assistants, genetic counselors, perfusionists and practitioners of respiratory care by the Board of Medical Examiners; and (2) osteopathic physicians, physician assistants and anesthesiologist assistants by the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. (Chapters 630 and 633 of NRS) Sections 29 and 33 of this bill require the Board of Medical Examiners and the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, respectively, to establish by regulation a procedure for prioritizing applications for licensure as a physician or osteopathic physician of applicants who plan to: (1) serve underserved geographic areas or populations in this State as identified by the assessment conducted pursuant to section 9; or (2) practice a specialty for which there is a shortage in this State as identified by the assessment conducted pursuant to section 9. Sections 30 and 34 of this bill require those Boards to establish electronic systems to expedite the verification of credentials of providers of health care for the purposes of inclusion in insurance networks and serving on the staff of hospitals. Sections 31 and 35 of this bill require certain reports submitted by those Boards to the Governor and Legislature to include information relating to the efficiency of the process for licensing physicians or osteopathic physicians, as applicable. Section 37 of this bill appropriates money to those Boards to carry out the provisions of sections 29-31 and 33-35. Section 19 of this bill requires a hospital to process at least 95 percent of complete requests from providers of health care for privileges to perform services at the hospital not later than 60 days after receiving all of the information necessary to complete such a request. Sections 20-24 of this bill make conforming changes to indicate the applicability of, and provide for the enforcement of, the provisions of section 19.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 449.029, 449.0301, 449.160, 449.163, 449.240, 218E.405, 232.4993, 233B.038, 630.130, 633.286