SpecialReport. Report on the Physician Education Loan Repayment Program. Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

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1 SpecialReport December 2008 Report on the Physician Education Loan Repayment Program Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Ginger Lowry Project Manager Economic Analysis Selena Meyers Fiscal Integrity Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Stacey Silverman Baylor College of Medicine Kimiko Shepard

Meyers Fiscal Integrity Texas Higher Education

5 Report on the Physician Education Loan Repayment Program The 78th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1420, which amended Section of the Texas Education Code, relating to the use of a portion of medical school tuition for school loan repayment assistance for physicians. The program that resulted from this legislation is called the Physician Education Loan Repayment Program (PELRP). Subsection (c) of the law requires the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House of Representatives in the January following the end of each fiscal year on: the number of students registered in each Texas medical branch, school or college; the total amount of tuition charges collected by each institution; the total amount transferred to the Comptroller to be held in the State Treasury under this section; and the total amount available under Subsection (b) of the law for the repayment of student loans of physicians under this subchapter. 1 This legislation applies to tuition and fees charged to students registered in a Texas medical branch, school or college for the academic year and after. According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 5,725 resident and non-resident medical students were registered in Texas institutions for the academic year. 2 The eight institutions that pay into the tuition set-aside for the PELRP are: Baylor College of Medicine Texas A&M University System Health Science Center University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Exhibit 1 profiles the institutions participating in PELRP in fiscal 2008, including the number of registered in-state and out-of-state students; total tuition charges collected by each institution; and the total amount of tuition held in the State Treasury in Fund 0542, the General Revenue Account for Medical School Tuition Set Asides. 3 For fiscal 2008, the Comptroller received $718,122 from the eight participating institutions for PELRP. SUSAN COMBS Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 1

The program that resulted from this legislation is called the Physician Education Loan Repayment Program (PELRP).

6 Physician Education Loan Repayment Program Exhibit 1 Physician Education Loan Repayment Program (PELRP) Participating Medical Branches, Schools & Colleges ( Academic Year) Medical Branch, School or College 4 In-State Resident Registered Students 5 Out-of-State Registered Students 6 Other/Foreign Registered Students 7 Registered Students with Tuition Exemptions/ Waivers 8 Total Tuition Charges Collected by the Medical Branch, School or College 9 Total Amount of Tuition Deposited in Treasury for PELRP 10 Baylor College of Medicine $5,779,550 $77,028 Texas A&M University System Health Science Center University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine) Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (School of Medicine) $6,411,978 $38, $4,592,439 $80, $9,171,979 $75,484 University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston $7,347,537 $112,385 University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston $9,436,377 $116,565 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio $9,559,866 $111,759 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas $6,502,058 $106,542 Totals 5, $58,801,784 $718,122 Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. As of Aug. 31, 2008, the Comptroller s office had transferred $642,555 to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board The Comptroller s State of Texas 2008 Annual Cash Report identified $534,439 in actual payments made for qualified students from Fund The 2007 General Appropriations Act authorized the repayment of $1,047,047 through the PELRP in fiscal 2 SUSAN COMBS Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Charges Collected by the Medical Branch, School or College 9 Total Amount of Tuition Deposited in Treasury for PELRP 10 Baylor College of Medicine 585 79 6 0 $5,779,550 $77,028 Texas A&M University

7 Physician Education Loan Repayment Program Endnotes 1 See < aspx?legsess=78r&bill=hb1420>. House Bill 1420, 78th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to the use of a portion of medical school tuition for student loan repayment assistance for physicians. SECTION 1. Section , Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec MEDICAL SCHOOL TUITION SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN LOAN REPAYMENTS. (a) The governing boards of each medical unit of an institution of higher education shall cause to be set aside two percent of tuition charges for each student registered in a medical branch, school, or college. (b) The amount set aside shall be transferred to the comptroller of public accounts to be maintained in the state treasury for the sole purpose of repayment of student loans of a physician serving in a designated state agency or in an area of this state that is economically depressed or that is a medically underserved area or health professional shortage area, as designated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, that has a current shortage of physicians. Section , Government Code, does not apply to the amount set aside by this section. (c) As soon as practicable after each state fiscal year, the comptroller of public accounts shall prepare a report for that fiscal year of the number of students registered in a medical branch, school, or college, the total amount of tuition charges collected by each institution, the total amount transferred to the treasury under this section, and the total amount available under Subsection (b) for the repayment of student loans of physicians under this subchapter. The comptroller shall deliver a copy of the report to the board and to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the House of Representatives not later than January 1 following the end of the fiscal year covered by the report. Section 2. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with tuition fees charges to students registered in a medical branch, school, or college for the academic year. 2 communication from Stacey Silverman, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Oct. 6, The total of the far right column equals the amount received by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and deposited to the Treasury for PELRP as of Aug. 31, Higher Education Coordinating Board, Oct. 6, Higher Education Coordinating Board, Oct. 6, Higher Education Coordinating Board, Oct. 6, Higher Education Coordinating Board, Oct. 6, Registered other and foreign students admitted under Texas Education Code, or (a). These students pay the in-state tuition rate. 8 Higher Education Coordinating Board, Oct. 6, Registered students with tuition exemptions/waivers receive the in-state tuition rate. Baylor College of Medicine data was received by communication from Kimiko Shephard, Baylor College of Medicine, Nov. 7, Comptroller records from the Uniform Statewide Accounting System printout, FY08-Medical Tuition, Oct. 1, Comptroller data using computer records, Appropriation Year 2008, Fund 0542 from the Uniform Statewide Accounting System, Oct. 1, Comptroller data using computer records, Appropriation Year 2008, Fund 0542 from the Uniform Statewide Accounting System, Oct. 1, House Bill No. 1, 80th Legislature, Regular Session, III-44, Oct. 5, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, State of Texas 2008 Annual Cash Report, the General Revenue Account Medical School Tuition Set Aside SUSAN COMBS Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts 3

539, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 61.539. MEDICAL SCHOOL TUITION SET ASIDE FOR CERTAIN LOAN REPAYMENTS.

8 SpecialReport Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TX PERMIT NO This publication is not copyrighted and may be reproduced. The Comptroller of Public Accounts would appreciate credit for material used and a copy of the reprint. Special Reports Susan Combs Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts P.O. Box Austin, Texas For more information, call (800) , ext ; or (512) in Austin. This publication is also available on the World Wide Web by accessing the Comptroller s Window on State Government Web site at Online subscriptions or renewals for this report and other Comptroller publications may be entered at Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Publication # Revised December 2008

Box 13528 Austin, Texas 78711-3528 For more information, call (800) 531-5441, ext. 6-5855; or (512) 936-5855 in Austin.

Texas Medical School Loan Repayment Assistance

Texas Medical School Loan Repayment Assistance OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER T E X A S Special Report January 2005 COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS REPORT ON THE PHYSICIANS EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM HOUSE BILL 1420 C A R O L E K E E T O N S T R AY