Alaska § 18.29.190 - Definitions.

§ 18.29.190. Definitions.

In AS 18.29.100 — 18.29.190,        (1) “commissioner” means the commissioner of health;

 (2) “department” means the Department of Health;

 (3) “eligible site” means a service area or health care facility that provides health care services to underserved individuals or in health care professional shortage or rural areas and that satisfies the criteria for eligibility established by the commissioner;

 (4) “employer payment” means the payment an employer makes to the department for participation in the program;

 (5) “program” means the health care professionals workforce enhancement program;

 (6) “qualified employment” means employment of a tier I, tier II, or tier III health care professional at an eligible site at which the health care professional is hired or contracted and paid to work             (A) in a full-time or not less than half-time position;

 (B) for a term that is not less than three years;

 (7) “rural” means a community with a population of 5,500 or less that is not connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks or with a population of 1,500 or less that is connected by road or rail to Anchorage or Fairbanks;

 (8) “tier I health care professional” means a person who spends not less than 50 percent of the person's time on direct patient health care services and who is licensed or exempt from licensure in the state as a dentist, pharmacist, physician, doctor of nursing practice, clinical psychologist, counseling psychologist, or other health care professional as determined by the commissioner;

 (9) “tier II health care professional” means a person who spends not less than 50 percent of the person's time on direct patient health care services and who is licensed or exempt from licensure in the state as a dental hygienist, advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, physician assistant, physical therapist, professional counselor, associate counselor, board certified behavior analyst, marital and family therapist, clinical social worker, or other health care professional as determined by the commissioner;

 (10) “tier III health care professional” means a person who is employed at an eligible site who is not otherwise eligible as a tier I or tier II health care professional;

 (11) “underserved individual” means an individual who             (A) is uninsured;

 (B) receives or is eligible to receive medical assistance; or

 (C) receives or is eligible to receive health care benefits directly, through insurance, or through other means, from a plan or program funded directly, in whole or in part, by the federal government, except for the federal employee health benefits program under 5 U.S.C. 8903.