Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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110 ILCS 932/10

(110 ILCS 932/10)

Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Accredited school" means a college or university in which a degree in allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, or an equivalent credential for a health program is earned and for which the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its affiliates has determined that the school meets specific standards for its programs, faculty, and curriculum.

"Advanced practice registered nurse" or "APRN" means an advanced practice registered nurse as defined under Section 50-10 of the Nurse Practice Act.

"Allopathic medicine" means the use of pharmacological agents or physical interventions to treat or suppress symptoms or processes of diseases or conditions.

"Applicant" means a health care professional or medical facility who applies for loan repayment assistance or scholarship funds under this Act.

"Approved graduate training" means training in medicine, dentistry, or any other health profession that leads to eligibility for board certification, provides evidence of completion, and is approved by the appropriate health care professional's body.

"Behavioral health provider" means a provider of a commonly recognized discipline in the behavioral health industry, including, but not limited to, licensed clinical social workers, behavioral health therapists, certified marriage and family counselors, licensed social workers, and addiction counselors.

"Breach of service obligation" means failure for any reason to begin or complete a contractual service commitment.

"Commercial loan" means a loan made by a bank, credit union, savings and loan association, insurance company, school, or other financial institution.

"Community health center" means a migrant health center, community health center, health care program for the homeless or for residents of public housing supported under Section 330 of the federal Public Health Service Act, or  FQHC, including an FQHC Look-Alike, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that operates at least one federally designated primary health care delivery site in Illinois.

    "Default" means failure to meet a legal obligation or condition of a loan.
    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.

"Dental assistant" means a person who serves as a member of a dental care team, working directly with a dentist to perform duties that include, but are not limited to, assisting with dental procedures, preparing patients for procedures, preparing examinations, and sterilizing equipment.

    "Dentist" means a person licensed to practice dentistry under the Illinois Dental Practice Act.
    "Director" means the Director of Public Health.

"Equity and Representation in Health Care Workforce Repayment Program" or "Repayment Program" means the Equity and Representation in Health Care Workforce Repayment Program created under subsection (a) of Section 15.

"Equity and Representation in Health Care Workforce Scholarship Program" or "Scholarship Program" means the Equity and Representation in Health Care Workforce Scholarship Program created under subsection (b) of Section 15.

"Federally Qualified Health Center" or "FQHC" means a health center funded under Section 330 of the federal Public Health Service Act.

"Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike" or "FQHC Look-Alike" means a health center that meets the requirements for receiving a grant under Section 330 of the federal Public Health Service Act but does not receive funding under that authority.

"Government loan" means a loan made by a federal, State, county, or city agency authorized to make the loan.

"Health care professional" means a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, nurse, chiropractic physician, podiatric physician, physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, occupational therapist, speech therapist, behavioral health provider, psychiatrist, psychologist, pharmacist, dentist, medical assistant, dental assistant, or dental hygienist.

"Health professional shortage area" or "HPSA" means a designation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that indicates the shortage of primary medical care or dental or mental health providers.  The designation may be geographic, such as a county or service area; demographic, such as low-income population; or institutional, such as a comprehensive health center, FQHC, or other public facility.

"Lender" means the commercial or government entity that makes a qualifying loan.

"Loan repayment award" or "award" means the amount of funding awarded to a recipient based upon his or her reasonable educational expenses, up to a maximum established by the program.

"Loan repayment agreement" or "agreement" means the written instrument defining a legal relationship entered into between the Department and a recipient.

"Medical assistant" means a person who serves as a member of a medical care team working directly with other providers to perform duties that include, but are not limited to, gathering patient information, taking vital signs, preparing patients for examinations, and assisting physicians during examinations.

"Medical facility" means a facility in which the delivery of health services is provided. A medical facility must be a nonprofit or public facility located in Illinois and includes the following:

        (1) A Federally Qualified Health Center.
        (2) An FQHC Look-Alike.
        (3) A hospital system operated by a county with

more than 3,000,000 residents.

"Medically underserved area" or "MUA" means an area designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration as having too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty, or a high elderly population.

"Nurse" means a person who is licensed as a licensed practical nurse or as a registered nurse under the Nurse Practice Act.

"Osteopathic medicine" means medical practice based upon the theory that diseases are due to loss of structural integrity, which can be restored by manipulation of the parts and supplemented by therapeutic measures.

"Physical therapist" means an individual licensed as a physical therapist under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act.

"Physical therapist assistant" means an individual licensed as a physical therapist assistant under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act.

    "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
    "Physician assistant" means an individual licensed under the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987.

"Primary care" means health care that encompasses prevention services, basic diagnostic and treatment services, and support services, including laboratory, radiology, transportation, and pharmacy services.

"Psychiatrist" means a physician licensed to practice medicine in Illinois under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 who has successfully completed an accredited residency program in psychiatry.

"Qualifying loan" means a government loan or commercial loan used for tuition and reasonable educational and living expenses related to undergraduate or graduate education that was obtained by the recipient prior to his or her application for loan repayment and that is contemporaneous with the education received.

"Reasonable educational expenses" means costs for education, exclusive of tuition.  These costs include, but are not limited to, fees, books, supplies, clinical travel, educational equipment, materials, board certification, or licensing examinations.  "Reasonable educational expenses" do not exceed the estimated standard budget for expenses for the degree program and for the years of enrollment.

"Reasonable living expenses" means room and board, transportation, and commuting costs associated with the applicant's attendance and participation in an educational and workforce training program.  "Reasonable living expenses" do not exceed the estimated standard budget for the recipient's degree program and for the years of enrollment.

"Recognized training entity" means an entity approved by the Department to provide training and education for medical assistants and dental assistants.

"Recipient" means a health care professional or medical facility that may use loan repayment funds.

"Rural" has the same meaning that is used by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration to determine eligibility for Rural Health Grants.

"State" means the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 102-942, eff. 1-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)