NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5339

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 20, 2025	referred to health

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2339
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §2807-m, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A10638

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for dentist loan repayment and practice support for dentists who agree to practice in an underserved area in the state.

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5339

SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to providing for
dentist loan repayment and practice support

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill establishes a dentist loan repayment and practice support
program to increase the number of dentists practicing in underserved
areas, including at facilities or dentist offices that primarily serve
an underserved population.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds two new paragraphs to subdivision 5-a of section 2807-m
of the public health law. Paragraph (c-1) establishes a dentist loan
repayment program up to $1.2 million for each state fiscal year for the
period April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2028. Paragraph (d-1) establishes a
dentist practice support program up to $1.3 million for each fiscal year

for the period April 1,2025 to March 31, 2028.

Section 2 adds new paragraph 10-a to section 2807-m of the public health
law to establish the parameters of the dentist loan repayment program.

Section 3 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Despite graduating 750 dentists annually - among the highest number of
any state - New York continues to struggle with unmet need, particularly
with respect to Medicaid recipients and other vulnerable populations.
Several barriers contribute to the challenges of providing access to
dental care to low-income, rural or developmentally disabled individ-
uals, including the exorbitant costs of attending dental school and
establishing a dental practice, perennially insufficient Medicaid
reimbursement rates, and too few dentists practicing in rural and high
need areas. 1 This bill seeks to attract more dentists to practice in
underserved areas by making it more affordable for them to do so through
student loan repayment and practice support.

New York State currently has 161 dental Health Practitioner Shortage
Areas (HPSAs), including 117 designated HPSA facilities and 44 desig-
nated HPSA population groups (mostly Medicaid eligible populations). 2
This means that each of these designations has a population-to-provider
ratio of at least 4000 people per 1 dentist.  Because NYS currently
meets only 16.15% of the documented need, the federal Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA) estimates that New York needs an
additional 588 dentists to remove all of its dental HPSA designations. 3
The NYS Department of Health also recognizes the need for additional
dentists in strategic locations and, beginning in 2010, identified stra-
tegies for increasing access to dental services. 4

Dental school graduates typically have greater student loan debt than
their medical school counterparts. In 2023, the average medical school
graduate owed $265,000, whereas the average dental school graduate owed
$296,500. 5 To entice dentists to practice in New York's dental HPSAs,
this bill offers funding for loan repayment and practice support that is
comparable to the funding currently offered to physicians; it provides
for up to $50,000 annually for three years for dentists practicing in
underserved areas in hospitals or other facilities or up to $70,000
annually for three years to dentists practicing in underserved areas in
private practice.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023 - 2024: A10638

2025 - 2026: A2339

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

$2,500,000 per year for three fiscal years.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been
in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2025.

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5339
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FAHY  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  providing  for
   dentist loan repayment and practice support
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 5-a of section 2807-m of the public health  law
 is  amended  by  adding  two  new  paragraphs (c-1) and (d-1) to read as
 follows:
   (C-1) DENTIST LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. UP TO ONE  MILLION  TWO  HUNDRED
 THOUSAND  DOLLARS EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR FOR THE PERIOD APRIL FIRST, TWO
 THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE THROUGH MARCH THIRTY-FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-
 EIGHT,  SHALL  BE  SET  ASIDE  AND RESERVED BY THE COMMISSIONER FROM THE
 REGIONAL POOLS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF  THIS  SECTION
 AND SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURPOSES OF DENTIST LOAN REPAYMENT IN ACCORD-
 ANCE  WITH  SUBDIVISION  TEN-A  OF  THIS  SECTION.   NOTWITHSTANDING ANY
 CONTRARY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION, SECTIONS ONE HUNDRED TWELVE AND  ONE
 HUNDRED  SIXTY-THREE  OF  THE  STATE  FINANCE LAW, OR ANY OTHER CONTRARY
 PROVISION OF LAW, SUCH FUNDING SHALL BE ALLOCATED REGIONALLY  WITH  ONE-
 THIRD OF AVAILABLE FUNDS GOING TO NEW YORK CITY AND TWO-THIRDS OF AVAIL-
 ABLE  FUNDS GOING TO THE REST OF THE STATE AND SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED IN A
 MANNER TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER WITHOUT A COMPETITIVE BID OR
 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS AS FOLLOWS:
   (I) FUNDING SHALL FIRST BE AWARDED TO  REPAY  LOANS  OF  UP  TO  EIGHT
 DENTISTS WHO TRAIN IN GENERAL OR PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY IN TEACHING GENERAL
 HOSPITALS, INCLUDING IN COMMUNITY CLINIC SETTINGS OWNED BY OR AFFILIATED
 WITH  SUCH  HOSPITALS,  AND WHO ENTER AND REMAIN IN GENERAL OR PEDIATRIC
 DENTISTRY PRACTICES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES,  AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE
 COMMISSIONER.
   (II)  AFTER  DISTRIBUTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS
 PARAGRAPH, ALL REMAINING FUNDS  SHALL  BE  AWARDED  TO  REPAY  LOANS  OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05960-01-5

 S. 5339                             2
 
 DENTISTS  WHO  ENTER  AND REMAIN IN GENERAL OR PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY PRAC-
 TICES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER,
 INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  DENTISTS WORKING IN GENERAL HOSPITALS,
 OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITIES OR QUALIFIED PRIVATE PRACTICES.
   (III)  IN NO CASE SHALL LESS THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE
 PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH BE DISTRIBUTED IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  SUBPARA-
 GRAPHS  (I) AND (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH TO DENTISTS IDENTIFIED BY GENERAL
 HOSPITALS.
   (D-1) DENTIST PRACTICE SUPPORT. UP TO THREE MILLION DOLLARS  FOR  EACH
 FISCAL YEAR FOR THE PERIOD APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE THROUGH
 MARCH  THIRTY-FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT, SHALL BE SET ASIDE AND
 RESERVED BY THE COMMISSIONER FROM THE REGIONAL POOLS ESTABLISHED  PURSU-
 ANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF  THIS  SECTION  AND SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR
 PURPOSES OF  DENTIST  PRACTICE  SUPPORT.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  CONTRARY
 PROVISION  OF  THIS SECTION, SECTIONS ONE HUNDRED TWELVE AND ONE HUNDRED
 SIXTY-THREE OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW, OR ANY OTHER CONTRARY PROVISION OF
 LAW, SUCH FUNDING SHALL BE ALLOCATED REGIONALLY WITH ONE-THIRD OF AVAIL-
 ABLE FUNDS GOING TO NEW YORK CITY  AND  TWO-THIRDS  OF  AVAILABLE  FUNDS
 GOING  TO  THE REST OF THE STATE AND SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED IN A MANNER TO
 BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER WITHOUT A COMPETITIVE BID  OR  REQUEST
 FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS AS FOLLOWS:
   (I)  PREFERENCE  IN FUNDING EIGHT AWARDS, TO SUPPORT COSTS INCURRED BY
 DENTISTS TRAINED IN GENERAL OR PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY IN  TEACHING  GENERAL
 HOSPITALS, INCLUDING IN COMMUNITY CLINIC SETTINGS OWNED BY OR AFFILIATED
 WITH  SUCH  HOSPITALS,  WHO  THEREAFTER  ESTABLISH  OR JOIN PRACTICES IN
 UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   (II) AFTER DISTRIBUTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBPARAGRAPH (I)  OF  THIS
 PARAGRAPH,  ALL  REMAINING FUNDS SHALL BE AWARDED TO DENTISTS TO SUPPORT
 THE COST OF ESTABLISHING OR JOINING PRACTICES  IN  UNDERSERVED  COMMUNI-
 TIES,  AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER, AND TO HOSPITALS AND OTHER
 HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO RECRUIT NEW DENTISTS  TO  PROVIDE  SERVICES  IN
 UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   (III)  IN NO CASE SHALL LESS THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE
 PURSUANT TO THIS  PARAGRAPH  BE  DISTRIBUTED  TO  GENERAL  HOSPITALS  IN
 ACCORDANCE WITH SUBPARAGRAPHS (I) AND (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
   §  2. Section 2807-m of the public health law is amended by adding two
 new subdivisions 10-a and 13 to read as follows:
   10-A. DENTIST LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. (A) BEGINNING APRIL  FIRST,  TWO
 THOUSAND  TWENTY-FIVE,  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS AUTHORIZED, WITHIN AMOUNTS
 AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF THIS SECTION, TO  MAKE  LOAN
 REPAYMENT  AWARDS  TO  GENERAL  OR PEDIATRIC DENTISTS OR OTHER DENTISTRY
 SPECIALTIES DETERMINED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  TO  BE  IN  SHORT  SUPPLY,
 LICENSED  TO PRACTICE DENTISTRY IN NEW YORK STATE, WHO AGREE TO PRACTICE
 FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA, AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE
 COMMISSIONER.
   (B)  LOAN REPAYMENT AWARDS MADE TO A DENTIST PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)
 OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT EXCEED THE  TOTAL  QUALIFYING  OUTSTANDING
 DEBT  OF  THE  DENTIST  FROM  STUDENT  LOANS  TO COVER TUITION AND OTHER
 RELATED EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES, MADE BY OR GUARANTEED BY  THE  FEDERAL  OR
 STATE  GOVERNMENT,  OR  MADE  BY  A  LENDING  OR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
 APPROVED UNDER TITLE IV OF THE  FEDERAL  HIGHER  EDUCATION  ACT.    LOAN
 REPAYMENT AWARDS SHALL BE USED SOLELY TO REPAY SUCH OUTSTANDING DEBT.
   (C)  IN  THE EVENT THAT A THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT PURSUANT TO THE AGREE-
 MENT REFERENCED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION IS  NOT  FULFILLED,
 THE  RECIPIENT SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAYMENT IN AMOUNTS WHICH SHALL
 BE CALCULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMULA SET  FORTH  IN  SUBDIVISION
 S. 5339                             3
 
 (B) OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR-O OF TITLE FORTY-TWO OF THE UNITED
 STATES CODE, AS AMENDED.
   (D)  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS AUTHORIZED TO APPLY ANY FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR
 PURPOSES OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION FOR USE AS MATCHING  FUNDS
 FOR FEDERAL GRANTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING STATES IN OPERATING LOAN
 REPAYMENT  PROGRAMS  PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT I OF
 THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT.
   (E) THE COMMISSIONER MAY POSTPONE, CHANGE OR WAIVE THE  SERVICE  OBLI-
 GATION  AND  REPAYMENT  AMOUNTS  SET  FORTH  IN  PARAGRAPHS (A) AND (C),
 RESPECTIVELY OF THIS SUBDIVISION IN INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THERE
 IS COMPELLING NEED OR HARDSHIP.
   (F) (I) WHEN A DENTIST IS NOT ACTUALLY PRACTICING  IN  AN  UNDERSERVED
 AREA,  SUCH  DENTIST  SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE PRACTICING IN AN UNDERSERVED
 AREA IF SUCH DENTIST PRACTICES IN A FACILITY OR  DENTIST'S  OFFICE  THAT
 PRIMARILY  SERVES AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMIS-
 SIONER, WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER THE  POPULATION  OR  THE  FACILITY  OR
 DENTIST'S OFFICE IS LOCATED IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA.
   (II) IN MAKING CRITERIA AND DETERMINATIONS AS TO WHETHER AN AREA IS AN
 UNDERSERVED  AREA  OR  WHETHER  A FACILITY OR DENTIST'S OFFICE PRIMARILY
 SERVES AN UNDERSERVED POPULATION, THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY  MAKE  SEPARATE
 CRITERIA AND DETERMINATIONS FOR DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES.
   13. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, APPLICATIONS
 SUBMITTED  FOR  THE DENTIST LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH
 (C-1) OF SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF THIS SECTION  AND  SUBDIVISION  TEN-A  OF
 THIS  SECTION  OR THE DENTIST PRACTICE SUPPORT PROGRAM PURSUANT TO PARA-
 GRAPH (D-1) OF SUBDIVISION FIVE-A OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE  SUBJECT  TO
 THE FOLLOWING:
   (A)  AWARDS  SHALL  BE  MADE  FROM THE TOTAL FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR NEW
 AWARDS UNDER THE DENTIST LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM AND THE DENTIST PRACTICE
 SUPPORT PROGRAM, WITH NEITHER PROGRAM  LIMITED  TO  A  SPECIFIC  FUNDING
 AMOUNT WITHIN SUCH TOTAL FUNDING AVAILABLE;
   (B) AN APPLICANT MAY APPLY FOR AN AWARD FOR EITHER DENTIST LOAN REPAY-
 MENT OR DENTIST PRACTICE SUPPORT, BUT NOT BOTH;
   (C)  AN  APPLICANT SHALL EITHER: (I) AGREE TO PRACTICE FOR THREE YEARS
 IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA AND EACH AWARD SHALL PROVIDE UP TO FIFTY THOUSAND
 DOLLARS FOR EACH OF THE THREE YEARS; OR (II)  AGREE  TO  PRACTICE  AS  A
 DENTIST  ENGAGED  IN  PRIVATE  PRACTICE  IN AN UNDERSERVED AREA AND EACH
 AWARD SHALL PROVIDE UP TO SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH OF THE THREE
 YEARS; AND
   (D) TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, AWARDS SHALL BE TIMED TO BE OF USE  FOR
 JOB OFFERS MADE TO APPLICANTS.
   §  3.  This  act  shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
 have been in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2025.

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Senate Bill S5339

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S5339

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Sponsored By

Patricia Fahy

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5339 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments