FISCAL NOTE

Date Requested: January 24, 2023
Time Requested: 04:46 PM
Agency: Higher Education Policy Commission
CBD Number: Version: Bill Number: Resolution Number:
3083 Introduced HB2989
CBD Subject: Education (Higher)


FUND(S):

General

Sources of Revenue:

General Fund

Legislation creates:

Increases Existing Expenses



Fiscal Note Summary


Effect this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government.


Summarize in a clear and concise manner what impact this measure will have on costs and revenues of state government. This bill would increase from two to four the number of seats for out-of-state medical students who receive in-state tuition rates if they agree to practice for a specific time within West Virginia after graduation. This program expands the Choose West Virginia Practice Program, the state-funded nonresident medical student tuition waiver program by allowing four nonresident medical students from each medical school in the state annually to participate in the program. Each student selected is charged the state resident tuition rate for each academic year he or she is enrolled in the program and the cost difference between the resident and nonresident rates is waived by the school in which they are enrolled. For each academic year that a medical student participates in the program, he or she commits to render services for one calendar year as a medical doctor or a doctor of osteopathy in this state in a medically underserved area or in a primary care or specialty practice or field in which there is a shortage of physicians, as determined by the Division of Health at the time the application for the program is submitted. The service commitment begins within six months after graduation from an accredited residency program. At the current average award amount, the additional cost for the first year of implementation would be $580,500; $967,500 for the second year; $1,193,250 for the third year: and $1,548,000 for the fourth year (full implementation). After full implementation, the costs would remain steady unless tuition increases or decreases.



Fiscal Note Detail


Effect of Proposal Fiscal Year
2023
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
2024
Increase/Decrease
(use"-")
Fiscal Year
(Upon Full
Implementation)
1. Estmated Total Cost 0 580,500 1,548,000
Personal Services 0 0 0
Current Expenses 0 0 0
Repairs and Alterations 0 0 0
Assets 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0
2. Estimated Total Revenues 0 0 0


Explanation of above estimates (including long-range effect):


Please explain increases and decreases in personal services, current expenses, repairs and alterations, assets, other costs and revenues, including assumptions and data sources and delineation between start-up and ongoing costs. Please also include a long-range schedule of costs and revenues if fiscal impact is expected to vary in future years. This bill doubles the number of students eligible from a current total of six to a proposed total of 12 each year. Because students can be accepted into the program in their first year of medical school and continue in the program each year (up to four) the cost of the program increases over the course of four years until a maximum of 48 students per year are in the program (four per year from each of three medical schools over four years). At the current average award amount, the additional cost for the first year of implementation would be $580,500; $967,500 for the second year; $1,193,250 for the third year: and $1,548,000 for the fourth year (full implementation). After full implementation, the costs would remain steady unless tuition increases or decreases. It is important to note that this is not a full tuition waiver per se, but rather the medical schools charge the nonresident medical students the in-state tuition rate and this program pays the medical school the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition.



Memorandum


Please identify any areas of vagueness, technical defects, reasons a bill would not have a fiscal impact, and/or any special issues not captured elsewhere on this form.



    Person submitting Fiscal Note: Robert Wallett
    Email Address: robert.wallett@wvhepc.edu