WAC 246-562-075   Criteria for waiver sponsorships in nondesignated shortage areas.  Public Law 108-441 allows states to sponsor up to five waivers each program year for physicians who will practice medicine in a health care facility that is not located in a designated health professional shortage area but serves patients who reside in designated shortage areas. Waivers will not be open to physicians practicing in nondesignated shortage areas until April 1 of each program year. For waiver approval, the health care facility must:

     (1) Provide care to patients who reside in designated shortage areas.

     (a) Describe the facility's service area.

     (b) Provide a patient visit report that identifies total patient visits in last six months of service by patient origin zip code.

     (2) Describe who will benefit from the physician's services.

     (a) Identify the percentage of medicaid and medicare patients who will have access to this physician.

     (b) Describe how the facility will assure access to this physician for low-income or uninsured patients.

     (c) Explain if the physician has language skills that will benefit patients at this facility.

     (3) Provide a detailed report of the extensive recruitment efforts made to recruit a U.S. physician for the specific position that the J-1 physician will fill.

     (a) Explain why this physician is necessary at this location.

     (b) Explain why it is difficult to recruit a U.S. physician for this location.

     (c) Provide the number of physicians interviewed for this position.

     (d) Provide the number of physicians offered this position.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.185 RCW and Public Law 108-441. 06-07-035, § 246-562-075, filed 3/8/06, effective 4/8/06.]