House Bill aims to increase doctors in rural areas, includes tribal component

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) --The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday to help combat doctor shortages in rural areas.

House Bill 3823, authored by House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka) authorizes a $25,000 tax credit for doctors who move to a rural community to practice.

The credit would go to doctors who move to a rural area and set up their practices there.

The bill defines a rural area as a town with a population of less than 25,000 people and at least 25 miles from a town with more than 25,000 people.

The bill would also apply to doctors who live within the boundaries of a tribal jurisdiction and are employed by a tribally owned or operated health facility or federal Indian Health Service facility.

"It will take a multifaceted approach to address rural Oklahoma's doctor shortage, and tribal health care services are an important part of that solution," said McCall, whose district contains part of the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nation, both of which operate several health care facilities within their jurisdictions.

The bill would limit the exemption to doctors who graduated from a medial or osteopathic school in Oklahoma only.

The bill passed 84-3 and will head to the Senate.