New Jersey · Through P.L.2025, c.405, and J.R.22 · Newer source version available

N.J. Stat. § 18A:71C-32: Definitions.

"Approved site" means a site located within a State-designated underserved area or a health professional shortage area, or a clinic which is part of the extramural network of dental clinics established by the New Jersey Dental School of Rutgers, The State University, or a site that has been determined by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, in consultation with the Department of Health, to serve medically underserved populations according to criteria determined by the authority in accordance with section 17 of P.L.2025, c.345 (C. 18A:71C-35.1).
"Authority" means the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.
"Eligible qualifying loan expenses" means the cumulative outstanding balance of student loans covering the cost of attendance at an institution of medical, dental, or other primary care professional education at the time an applicant is selected for the program. Interest paid or due on qualifying loans that an applicant has taken out for use in paying the costs of medical, dental, or other primary care professional education shall be considered eligible for reimbursement under the program. The total amount of qualifying loans which may be redeemed for participants under the program shall be $200,000 for participants employed at an approved site or the maximum amount authorized by the federal government, whichever is greater, either in State funds or the sum of federal, State, and other non-federal matching funds, pursuant to section 338I of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.s.254q-1), whichever is applicable.
"Executive director" means the executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.
"Health professional shortage area" (HPSA) means an urban or rural area, a population group, or a public or non-profit private medical or dental facility or other public facility which the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines has a health professional shortage pursuant to section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. s.254e).
“Medical, dental, or other primary care professional education” means the period of time between entry into medical school, dental school, or other primary care or medical professional training program and the award of a degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another primary care profession, respectively.
"Primary care" means the practice of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, general obstetrics, gynecology, pediatric dentistry, general dentistry, public health dentistry, and any other areas of medicine or dentistry which the Commissioner of Health may define as primary care. Primary care also includes the practice of a nurse-practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, and physician assistant.
"Primary care practitioner" means a State-licensed or certified health care professional who has obtained a degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another primary care profession at an institution of medical, dental, or other primary care professional education, as applicable.
"Program" means the Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71C-33.
"Program participant" means a practitioner who contracts with the authority to engage in the clinical practice of primary care, psychiatry, or other qualifying health care field at an approved site in exchange for the redemption of eligible qualifying loan expenses provided under the program.
"Qualifying loan" means a government or commercial loan for the actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable education and living expenses relating to the obtaining of a degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another primary care profession.
"State-designated medically underserved area" means a geographic area in this State which has been ranked by the Commissioner of Health on the basis of health status and economic indicators as reflecting a medical or dental health professional shortage, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services; or a municipality with a medically underserved area or population designation reflecting health status and economic indicators as determined by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration.
"Total and permanent disability" means a physical or mental disability that is expected to continue indefinitely or result in death and renders a participant in the program unable to perform that person's service obligation, as determined by the executive director or a designee.
amended 2009, c.145, s.1; 2012, c.45, s.99; 2025, c.345, s.1.

Where this section sits in the code

TITLE 18A EDUCATION

"Authority" means the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

"Eligible qualifying loan expenses" means the cumulative outstanding balance of student loans covering the cost of attendance at an institution of medical, dental, or other primary care professional education at the time an applicant is selected for the program. Interest paid or due on qualifying loans that an applicant has taken out for use in paying the costs of medical, dental, or other primary care professional education shall be considered eligible for reimbursement under the program. The total amount of qualifying loans which may be redeemed for participants under the program shall be $200,000 for participants employed at an approved site or the maximum amount authorized by the federal government, whichever is greater, either in State funds or the sum of federal, State, and other non-federal matching funds, pursuant to section 338I of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.s.254q-1), whichever is applicable.

"Executive director" means the executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

"Health professional shortage area" (HPSA) means an urban or rural area, a population group, or a public or non-profit private medical or dental facility or other public facility which the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines has a health professional shortage pursuant to section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. s.254e).

“Medical, dental, or other primary care professional education” means the period of time between entry into medical school, dental school, or other primary care or medical professional training program and the award of a degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another primary care profession, respectively.

"Primary care" means the practice of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, general obstetrics, gynecology, pediatric dentistry, general dentistry, public health dentistry, and any other areas of medicine or dentistry which the Commissioner of Health may define as primary care. Primary care also includes the practice of a nurse-practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, and physician assistant.

"Primary care practitioner" means a State-licensed or certified health care professional who has obtained a degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another primary care profession at an institution of medical, dental, or other primary care professional education, as applicable.

"Program" means the Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71C-33.

"Program participant" means a practitioner who contracts with the authority to engage in the clinical practice of primary care, psychiatry, or other qualifying health care field at an approved site in exchange for the redemption of eligible qualifying loan expenses provided under the program.

"Qualifying loan" means a government or commercial loan for the actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable education and living expenses relating to the obtaining of a degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another primary care profession.

"State-designated medically underserved area" means a geographic area in this State which has been ranked by the Commissioner of Health on the basis of health status and economic indicators as reflecting a medical or dental health professional shortage, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services; or a municipality with a medically underserved area or population designation reflecting health status and economic indicators as determined by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration.

"Total and permanent disability" means a physical or mental disability that is expected to continue indefinitely or result in death and renders a participant in the program unable to perform that person's service obligation, as determined by the executive director or a designee.

amended 2009, c.145, s.1; 2012, c.45, s.99; 2025, c.345, s.1.

Collected 2026-08-27T17:54:13Z. Source file · JSON

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