H 4666

HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 4666
   The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  ________________________________________
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, November 5, 2025.
   The committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, to
whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2205) of
Mindy Domb relative to loan repayment assistance for primary care
physicians, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No.
4666) ought to pass.
  For the committee,
  MINDY DOMB.
  FILED ON: 10/24/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4666
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act expanding loan repayment assistance for primary care physicians working in integrated
primary and behavioral health care settings.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2 section 16GG the following section:-
3Section 16HH. There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a
4 separate fund to be known as the integrating behavioral health and primary care workforce trust
5 fund to which shall be credited any appropriations, bond proceeds or other monies authorized by
6 the general court and specifically designated to be credited thereto, and additional funds,
7 including federal grants or loans or private donations. Any balance in the fund at the close of a
8 fiscal year shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years and shall not revert to the
9 General Fund.
10Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended for the purposes of expanding primary
11 care capacity in geographically underserved communities as determined by the secretary of
12 health and human services in consultation with the health policy commission.
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13The secretary of health and human services shall administer funds from the trust fund
14 through grants to primary care physicians, including, but not be limited to, family physicians,
15 internal medicine physicians, pediatricians, obstetricians and gynecologists; provided that, the
16 secretary shall prioritize the recruitment and retention of a culturally, ethnically and linguistically
17 diverse workforce; provided further, that, to be eligible for such grants, primary care physicians
18 shall:
19(a) work in a practice setting: (1) with a significant public payor patient population as
20 determined by the secretary; and (2) that integrates primary and behavioral health care;
21(b) have outstanding educational debt;
22(c) not participate in any other Massachusetts loan repayment program; and
23(d) be required to enter into a contract with the commonwealth for not less than 4 years;
24 and provided further, that the amounts of assistance per individual shall be pro-rated for
25 individuals working on a part-time basis.
26The executive office of health and human services shall promulgate regulations for the
27 administration of the fund, which shall include the grant application process, eligible uses of
28 grant funds and penalties and repayment procedures if a participating individual fails to comply
29 with the program requirements; provided, however, that not less than 45 days prior to the
30 obligation of funds, the executive office shall submit a comprehensive program plan to the
31 executive office for administration and finance, the house and senate committees on ways and
32 means, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery, the joint committee on
33 public health, the joint committee on labor and workforce development and the joint committee
34 on health care financing.
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35Not later than 6 months from the distribution of the first grant from the fund and by
36 January 1 annually thereafter, the secretary of health and human services shall file a report with
37 the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health,
38 substance use and recovery, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on labor
39 and workforce development and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing:
40 (i) the number of applications received; (ii) the number of grants awarded; (iii) the dollar amount
41 per grant; and (iv) any additional information deemed relevant by the secretary.
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