1. 1. The Authority shall review applications submitted pursuant to NRS 439A.377 to determine which applicants will be recommended to receive funding pursuant to NRS 439A.383.

2. 2. In reviewing applications and determining which applicants to recommend for funding, the Authority shall:

   1. (a) Give first priority for recommendation to projects that will most effectively address unmet needs;
   2. (b) Give secondary priority for recommendation to projects that will provide the greatest benefit in certified areas of need;

   3. (c) Give tertiary priority for recommendation to projects that will be located in:

      1. (1) Areas designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services as having a shortage of providers of health care, including, without limitation:

         1. (I) Areas designated as medically underserved areas or health professional shortage areas with high scores;
         2. (II) Areas designated as health professional shortage areas for primary care; and
         3. (III) Areas with populations that have been designated as medically underserved populations; or
      2. (2) Geographic areas where at least 30 percent of the population is enrolled in Medicaid, as determined by the Authority or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services;
   4. (d) Give quaternary priority for recommendation to projects that demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that at least 10 percent of patients who receive care through the project are recipients of Medicaid;
   5. (e) To the extent practicable, make recommendations to fund projects in different geographic areas of this State;
   6. (f) Make recommendations to fund projects in a manner that balances the differing health care needs of this State and takes into account other sources of funding, including, without limitation, federal grant programs, that may be available to applicants in order to use state money efficiently and avoid duplicative funding for the same or similar projects; and
   7. (g) To the extent that such entities submit applications for funding that meet the requirements of NRS 439A.377, recommend that at least 2 percent of the available funding be awarded to entities described in section 71113 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, Public Law No. 119-21. Money awarded to such an entity must not be expended for any abortion.

3. 3. The Authority shall consider the following criteria when reviewing applications pursuant to subsection 1:

   1. (a) The severity and urgency of the shortage of providers of health care in the certified areas of need targeted by the proposed project;
   2. (b) The potential of the proposed project to produce measurable, long-term improvements in rates of survival, quality of life and the experience of patients, including, without limitation, by causing high levels of improvement for underserved populations;
   3. (c) The potential of the proposed project to create lasting improvement in accessibility to health care and the availability of providers of health care in the community affected by the proposed project, including, without limitation, by meeting specific metrics for improvements to access to health care, health care outcomes and the capacity of the health care workforce;

   4. (d) The extent of the proposed investment in and establishment of capital infrastructure to address certified areas of need over the long term and support sustainable access to health care, including, without limitation:

      1. (1) The construction of medical facilities and other health care facilities;
      2. (2) The acquisition of medical equipment or equipment related to the advancement of medical research;
      3. (3) The expansion of capabilities for delivering services through precision medicine, early-phase clinical trials and telehealth; and
      4. (4) The development of facilities for residencies or other training of providers of health care;
   5. (e) The level of financial commitment from sources other than the State, including, without limitation, the degree to which the matching funds and in-kind contributions, if required, exceed the amount required by paragraph (d) of subsection 3 of NRS 439A.374;
   6. (f) The level of collaboration between the applicant and other entities in the public and private sectors to enhance the overall impact of the project;
   7. (g) The qualifications and organizational capacity of the applicant to effectively implement and sustain the proposed project, including, without limitation, a demonstrated ability to manage similar projects, meet projections concerning outcomes and maintain compliance with the requirements of NRS 439A.350 to 439A.398, inclusive, and any regulations adopted pursuant thereto; and
   8. (h) The degree to which the proposed project will strategically use technology or innovative models of delivering health care in a manner that may reduce costs, improve outcomes and expand access to underserved populations.
4. 4. As used in this section, “telehealth” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 629.515.

(Added to NRS by 2025, 36th Special Session, 168)