KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary

November 12, 1997

Contact: Jane Faubion
785-296-1200

State Adds Counties to Health Professional Shortage Areas

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment today announced two new counties have been designated as health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) in Kansas. An additional five counties have been re-designated as HPSAs.

The designations bring to 43 the total number of Kansas HPSAs. The new county HPSAs are Comanche and Meade. The re-designated HPSAs are Clark, Jewell, Pratt, Rooks, and Russell.

Areas of Kansas designated as HPSAs receive improved Medicare reimbursements for providers, eligibility for Rural Health Clinics, and health professional recruitment assistants from NHSC. The type of recruitment assistance available to a HPSA depends on the degress of shortage the area is experiencing; areas may be eligible for placement of NHSC scholars or loan repayment for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistants.

"The department welcomes the opportunity to assist counties in maximizing reimbursements so that valuable health services can be maintained in our rural areas," said Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary of KDHE.

Counties receive designation based on their ratio of population to primary care physicians plus lack of access to health care in surrounding areas due to distance, over utilization or access barriers. Designations, made by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), are in force for three years at which time they are reviewed for continuation or re-designation.

The KDHE Bureau of Local and Rural Health Systems works with NHSC to collect the information on which designation determinations are based. For additional information contact the bureau at 785-296-1200.