A message from the Office of Rural Health Policy...
The Health Resources and Services Administration has released its 2012 guidance for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP), which includes a pilot program that expands eligibility to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and eligible clinicians working in CAHs: primary care physicians; psychiatrists; nurse practitioners; certified nurse midwives; and physician assistants. The NHSC CAH Pilot Program was created as part of the White House Rural Council (http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=lk7blccab&et=1109015216339&s=7345&e=001SE3UYvKOjLiCiAwM2_zKFfb2QP5NEefbQornvkp10nEDGSrZdcCtSBZLCDZ1W89stUqrWMUPFoiVBJbMOF6Q0CacCqT0lma_DD4y3zg9yhneB3cfie-JslQCvui6i3JHTzWw-kP7MHzg8pL7-HUunXnllx5gOwYVtS2W3yi9yU4=).
CAHs and interested clinicians should review the 2012 guidance. CAHs that want to become service sites have to be in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and meet other basic program requirements (http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=lk7blccab&et=1109015216339&s=7345&e=001SE3UYvKOjLiaBKU8bsxv2IvpDk82MGGw6zicLhu6AXaOkgDZNbeEiPTFoXa0btJ18zIkdcYJ5zqqk8GdZWJYd0skSjGRLlSfH3ooSHPlTksfW1y-_rl-D5bsg-bNwSHWB_E-2x1xTKoz-4pTWmf3UUf-yuPpYNzAJWh5-q4yQdw=). Currently, approximately 64 percent of CAHs are located in HPSAs. Of these, 36 percent have HPSA scores of 14 or more.
Once they are approved as service sites, their clinicians can apply for loan repayment. The NHSC will pay up to $60,000 for an initial 2 years of full-time clinical practice to clinicians serving at an NHSC-approved service site with a HPSA score of 14 or higher. Applicants working at NHSC-approved service sites with HPSA scores of 13 or lower are eligible to receive up to $40,000 for an initial 2 years of full-time clinical service.
The NHSC will pay up to $60,000 for an initial 4 years of half-time clinical practice to clinicians serving at an NHSC-approved service site with a HPSA score of 14 or higher. Applicants working at NHSC-approved service sites with HPSA scores of 13 or lower are eligible to receive up to $40,000 for an initial 4 years of half-time clinical service.
Allowing CAHs to be eligible for loan repayment will enhance health care access and flexibility. Most providers working for these hospitals staff clinical settings across the CAH, ranging from outpatient clinics, skilled nursing care and emergency services, as well as providing limited inpatient hospital services.
Please help us get the word out about this program to CAHs and interested clinicians so they can take advantage of this opportunity.
The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) and the NHSC have conducted Webinars related to this change (http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=lk7blccab&et=1109015216339&s=7345&e=001SE3UYvKOjLgtzp4cvJnqSyc8juhML6RCiDIa0BelZwXfrvTgU0W-qqf399ijFD5fQICGGJL5SJHzApYySq9gJYk0QeSTn01txQP2HHwHtm8C5-DWq4vtYBQu17sU74gwqjWcQ5JUU_Ot9lrK0o77kPDbYXxGAH3vkSXQa28NR60=). The NHSC has a contact available to answer questions: Lindsey Toohey (ltoohey@hrsa.gov). Additional contacts include your State Offices of Rural Health. You may also Contact your State PCO for assistance, or your ORHP project officer or regional liaison.
For additional program details, please see the 2012 NHSC Loan Repayment Program At-A-Glance Fact Sheet , the NHSC Loan Repayment Program Announcement Flyer and the complete Application and Program Guidance.
ORHP believes there will be significant interest among CAHs in becoming NHSC service sites to help address the ongoing access challenges these facilities face. The flexibility for loan repayors to divide service time between inpatient and outpatient care will be attractive to program applicants.
