R9-24-204. Primary Care Area Boundaries Determination

A. The Department shall determine the boundaries of primary care areas for the entire state. A primary care area’s boundaries shall meet the following requirements: 1. The geographic area within the boundaries corresponds to or is larger than a census tract identified for the geographic area in the most recent American Community Survey prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau; 2. The boundaries are consistent with the population’s primary care services utilization patterns; and 3. The primary care utilization patterns are determined by considering: a. The geographic area’s: i. Topography, ii. Social and cultural relationships of the people living within the geographic area, iii. Political subdivision boundaries, and iv. Travel patterns; and b. Data about the type, amount, and location of primary care services used by the geographic area’s population, obtained from local planning personnel, government officials, health organizations, primary care physicians, and residents of the geographic area. B. In addition to the requirements for primary care area boundaries in subsection (A), the Department shall consider: 1. Indian reservation boundaries, and 2. Primary care HPSA boundaries.