Section 591.130 Selection Process

a)         In the first and second calendar quarters of the federal fiscal year, a maximum of  two Visa Waiver applications will be approved per facility requesting J-1 Visa Waivers for international medical graduates.  In subsequent calendar quarters, facilities that have already had two waivers approved may apply for additional waivers; however, selection priority will be given to applications from facilities that have not previously had waivers approved.

b)         The following selection criteria will apply to primary care physicians and psychiatrists:

1)         Selection preference will be given to the Visa Waiver application for the international medical graduate whose position represents the largest proportion of primary care or psychiatrist vacancies at the facility offering employment to the physician.

2)         Selection preference will be given to applications received from HPSAs having the greatest unmet need for primary care physicians.  Unmet need is the number of primary care physician full-time-equivalents needed to cause the HPSA to no longer meet the threshold ratio for HPSA designation.

c)         The following selection criteria will apply to physicians in specialties other than primary care and psychiatry:

1)         Selection preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate the greatest shortage of their specialty in the underserved area or for the underserved population group they propose to serve.

2)         Selection preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate the longer waiting time for an appointment with a physician of the same specialty in the underserved area or for the underserved population group they propose to serve.

d)         The following selection allocations will be used in processing waiver applications:

1)         In the first and second calendar quarters of the federal fiscal year, 6 waivers will be reserved for psychiatrists who will serve in rural facilities; 12 of the remaining 24 waivers will be reserved for primary care physicians; 12 waivers will be available to physicians in other specialties.  The Department will reserve 50% of the waivers allocated to primary care physicians for physicians who will serve in rural areas.  The Department may grant up to 5 waivers to physicians in other than primary care specialties who will practice at medical facilities that can document that at least 51% of the participating physician's patients come from a HPSA or MUA/P.

2)         In the third and fourth quarters of the federal fiscal year, remaining waivers may be used for primary care, psychiatrist and other specialty waiver applicants, both rural and urban.

(Source:  Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 898, effective January 5, 2006)