NHSC Loan Repayment Program

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Elbrus

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This is from an email I thought I'd pass along re NHCS; $25k of loan debt repayment per year would be a nice incentive.


Please urge your U.S. Representative to Co-Sponsor the Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act (HR 988)

Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Marion Berry (D-AR) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) introduced legislation to enable physical therapists to participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program, the Physical Therapist Student Loan Repayment Eligibility Act (HR 988).

APTA needs you to assist in building support for student loan repayment for physical therapists who choose to practice in rural and urban underserved areas. At this time there is not a Senate version of the legislation - so please focus your efforts on your United States Representative.

SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION (HR 988)
* The bill adds physical therapy to the definition of the National Health Service Corps’ primary health services by amending Section 331(a)(3)(D) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254d(a)(3)(D).
* The bill adds physical therapists to the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program to the list of eligible providers by amending Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l–1)
* The bill adds the following to the Loan Repayment Program’s eligibility requirements by amending Section 338B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254l–1):
- receipt of a doctoral or master’s degree in physical therapy;
- enrollment in a physical therapy graduate training program; and
- enrollment as a full-time student in a course of a study or program leading to a degree in physical therapy.


What Can You Do?


Contact your U.S. Representative and request that he or she cosponsor HR 988 today!

* Callyour U.S. Representative's office by calling the switchboard at (202) 224-3121. When connected to the office, ask to speak with the health care legislative assistant and ask your Representative to cosponsor HR 988.
* If you are a member of APTA, CLICK HERE to send an email to your House Representative through APTA’s Legislative Action Center. If you are not a member, you can send an email to your House Representative through his or her website and use the talking points below. Please remember to personalize your request by adding some of your student/professional experience in the second paragraph of the letter provided for you.



Talking Points
* The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) strongly supports HR 988 to enable physical therapists to participate in the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program. This initiative will encourage physical therapists to practice in rural and urban underserved communities by helping to address the rising student loan debt load of physical therapists that might otherwise not be able to afford to practice in those areas.
* The National Health Service Corps addresses the health needs of 4 million underserved individuals across the nation. As with the health professionals serving within the Corps today, physical therapists are committed to improving the health of the Nation’s underserved communities. HR 988 will ensure that physical therapists are part of the National Health Service Corps’ comprehensive team-based approach to health care services delivery.
* Demand for the services of physical therapists continues to grow across the country. Including physical therapists in the NHSC Loan Repayment Program will help to ensure that underserved communities have adequate access to important physical therapy services.
* In 2007, the average total costs of tuition and fees for a doctor of physical therapy student attending an in-state public; out of state public; or private institution are $38,000, $67,000 and $76,000 respectively which do not include the costs of undergraduate education. Rural and urban underserved communities often have difficulty recruiting needed health professionals such as physical therapists, due in part to the significant student loan debt load many health care professionals carry when leaving school.
* The maximum loan repayment through the NHSC Loan Repayment Program during the required initial two-year contract period is currently $25,000 each year. These payments can help address the student loan debt load of physical therapists and may enable the physical therapist to decide to practice long-term in these communities once NHSC service is complete.

If you have any questions or need additional information regarding HR 988, contact Kelly Lavin at 1/800-999-2782, ext. 8548, [email protected]. Thanks for your help in getting the message through to Congress!

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This would be a wonderful move and would show great progress for physical therapy. Thanks for posting that, very interesting indeed. Do you think it has a good chance of coming to fruition?
 
Does anyone know how this is progressing?
 
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