(a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program Act. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, the department shall develop and administer the Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program to provide loan assistance payments to qualifying, recent graduate physicians and dentists that serve beneficiaries of existing health care programs described in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) to Chapter 8.9 (commencing with Section 14700), inclusive. To implement this section, the department shall consult with other state entities, including the Department of Health Care Access and Information, and with affected stakeholders. (c) (1) The Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program shall be funded using moneys appropriated to the department for this purpose. (2) The Loan Repayment Program Account is hereby continued in the State Treasury within the Healthcare Treatment Fund established pursuant to Section 30130.55 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. The Loan Repayment Program Account shall contain funds appropriated by the Legislature from the Healthcare Treatment Fund to the Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the Loan Repayment Program Account is hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal year, to implement the Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program. (3) The Medi-Cal Loan Repayment Program Special Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. The Medi-Cal Loan Repayment Program Special Fund shall contain funds transferred from the California Electronic Cigarette Excise Tax Fund pursuant to Section 31005 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, funds transferred pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 14197.2, and any other moneys appropriated to the Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program other than funds appropriated from the Health Care Treatment Fund described in paragraph (2). The department and the State Controllerâs office shall maintain separate subaccounts for funds appropriated or transferred from each funding source. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the Medi-Cal Loan Repayment Program Special Fund is hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal year, to implement the Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program. (4) The department shall expend all funds available in the Loan Repayment Program Account of the Healthcare Treatment Fund prior to expending any funds from the Medi-Cal Loan Repayment Program Special Fund. (5) Within each fund and subaccount, the department shall administer two separate payment pools for participating physicians and dentists, respectively, consistent with the allocations provided for in Item 4260-102-3305 of the Budget Act of 2018, Item 4260-102-3305 of the Budget Act of 2019, Section 31005 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 14197.2. (6) Moneys appropriated to the department to implement this section shall be available to fund the administrative costs incurred by the department and any entity contracted with pursuant to subdivision (g). Administrative costs from the Loan Repayment Program Account of the Healthcare Treatment Fund are limited by subdivision (f) of Section 30130.57 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (d) The department shall develop the eligibility criteria to be used to evaluate physician and dentist participation in the Medi-Cal Physicians and Dentists Loan Repayment Program. In developing these criteria, the department shall prioritize ensuring timely access, limiting geographic shortages of services, and ensuring quality care in the Medi-Cal program. The department shall develop separate criteria for distribution of payments from the physician and dentist payment pools. At a minimum, the department shall establish the maximum number of years a physician or dentist may be in pr
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