1. A. Each fiscal year, for an initial application or renewal application that demonstrates a primary care provider’s and the primary care provider’s service site’s compliance with A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 21 and this Article, the Department shall allocate loan repayment funds according to this Section and in the following order to the primary care provider with the highest health service priority:

   1. 1. During the April allocation process, primary care providers with a HPSA score of 14 or more who are approved to participate for a third year in the:

      1. a. Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program, or
      2. b. Rural Private Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program;

   2. 2. During the June allocation process, if there are additional loan repayment funds available after the allocation process in subsection (A)(1), primary care providers who are approved for initial participation for two years in the:

      1. a. Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program, or
      2. b. Rural Private Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program; and

   3. 3. During the October allocation process, if there are additional loan repayment funds available after the allocation process in subsection (A)(2), primary care providers delineated in subsection (B) in the:

      1. a. Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program; or
      2. b. Rural Private Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program.

2. B. A primary care provider is allowed to apply for participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program according to the requirements in this Chapter and be allocated loan repayment funds according to subsection (A)(3), if the primary care provider has:

   1. 1. Completed the first two years of participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program but was denied approval to continue participation because no loan repayment funds were available during the allocation process;
   2. 2. Previously participated in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program, completed at least the first two years of participation, and is applying to resume participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program;
   3. 3. Completed the first two years of participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and is currently providing primary care services at a service site with a HPSA score below 14, and is applying to continue participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program during the same calendar year as the completion of the first two years;
   4. 4. Completed the first three years of participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and is applying to continue participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program during the same calendar year as the completion of the first three years of participation; or

   5. 5. Submitted an initial application during the same calendar year that demonstrated the primary care provider’s and the primary care provider’s service site’s compliance with A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 21 and this Article but was denied approval to participate because:

      1. a. There were no loan repayment funds available;
      2. b. For an initial application, the primary care provider’s employer employs four other primary care providers approved to participate in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program; or
      3. c. For an initial application, the primary care provider’s service site employs two other primary care providers approved to participate in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program.

3. C. The Department shall determine the amount of loan repayment funds allocated to a primary care provider based on the primary care provider’s service site’s highest HPSA score as determined in R9-15-206(B)(2) or R9-15-207(B)(1) or (2), as follows:

   1. 1. If a service site’s highest HPSA score is 18 to 26 points, 100 percent of the maximum annual amount;
   2. 2. If a service site’s highest HPSA score is 14 to 17 points, 90 percent of the maximum annual amount; and
   3. 3. If a service site’s highest HPSA score is 0 to 13 points, 80 percent of the maximum annual amount.

4. D. The Department shall allocate loan repayment funds to physicians and dentists according to the following:

   Contract Year of Service	Maximum Annual Amount for Full-Time
   	HPSA Score of 18-26	HPSA Score of 14-17	HPSA Score of 0-13
   Initial two years	$65,000	$58,500	$52,000
   Third year	$35,000	$31,500	$28,000
   Fourth year	$25,000	$22,500	$20,000
   Fifth year and continuing	$15,000	$13,500	$12,000

   Contract Year of Service	Maximum Annual Amount for Half-Time
   	HPSA Score of 18-26	HPSA Score of 14-17	HPSA Score of 0-13
   Initial two years	$32,500	$29,250	$26,000
   Third year	$17,500	$15,750	$14,000
   Fourth year	$12,500	$11,250	$10,000
   Fifth year and continuing	$7,500	$6,750	$6,000

5. E. The Department shall allocate loan repayment funds to pharmacists, advance practice providers, and behavioral health care providers according to the following:

   Contract Year of Service	Maximum Annual Amount for Full-Time
   	HPSA Score of 18-26	HPSA Score of 14-17	HPSA Score of 0-13
   Initial two years	$50,000	$45,000	$40,000
   Third year	$25,000	$22,500	$20,000
   Fourth year	$20,000	$18,000	$16,000
   Fifth year and continuing	$10,000	$9,000	$8,000

   Contract Year of Service	Maximum Annual Amount for Half-Time
   	HPSA Score of 18-26	HPSA Score of 14-17	HPSA Score of 0-13
   Initial two years	$25,000	$22,500	$20,000
   Third year	$12,500	$11,250	$10,000
   Fourth year	$10,000	$9,000	$8,000
   Fifth year and continuing	$5,000	$4,500	$4,000

6. F. When calculating the allocation of loan repayment funds for a primary care provider who resumes participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program, the Department shall consider the loan repayment contract year of service to be the succeeding year following the actual loan repayment contract years of service completed during the primary care provider’s previous participation in the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Rural Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program.
7. G. If the Department has inadequate funds to provide the maximum annual amount allowable and a primary care provider agrees to accept the lesser amount, the Department shall allocate the lesser amount agreed to by the primary care provider.
8. H. If the Department determines no loan repayment funds are available during a fiscal year for allocations based on an initial application or a renewal application, the Department shall provide a notice at least 30 calendar days before the initial or renewal application submission date that the Department is not accepting initial or renewal applications.

Historical Note

New Section made by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 2823, effective August 9, 2001 (Supp. 01-2). Section repealed; new Section made by final exempt rulemaking under Laws 2015, Ch. 3, § 8, at 22 A.A.R. 851, effective April 1, 2016 (Supp. 16-1). Section R9-15-208 renumbered to R9-15-207; new Section R9-15-208 renumbered from R9-15-209 and amended by emergency rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 3684 (December 2, 2022), with an immediate effective date of November 15, 2022; effective for 180 days (Supp. 22-4). Section amended and emergency renewed at 29 A.A.R. 1274 (June 2, 2023), with an effective date of May 14, 2023; effective for an additional 180 days (Supp. 23-2). Emergency expired on November 11, 2023, original text reinstated and effective November 11, 2023 through December 5, 2023; Section R9-15-208 renumbered to R9-15-207, new Section R9-15-208 renumbered from R9-15-209 and amended by final rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 3837 (December 22, 2023), with an immediate effective date of December 6, 2023 (Supp. 23-4).