US Army Reserves HPLRP Questions...

[USARQuestions]

Hello everyone. I have a few very specific questions regarding the HPLRP for army reserve physicians (Offered at $40,000/yr for 3 years) that I have been unable to get very confident/straight answers to from recruiters and such. Hoping that you all can perhaps help out!

1) In my contract for the HPLRP it states that all loans to be considered for repayment must have already been in existence for one year prior to any payment. Does this include when/if you refinance or consolidate any individual education loans (assuming they would all be eligible individually)? In other words, is a consolidation considered a new loan and make it ineligible for repayment until one full year after completion?

2) I'm well aware that the $40,000 per year is taxed income and they will withhold ~25%, resulting in a $30,000 payment towards the principal loan balance per year. However, in the event that you have less than $40,000 balance remaining in your loans: will they still pay the full balance and put the rest towards taxes?
Example: If I have a $25,000 remaining loan balance when the payment is to be made by the Army. Will they pay the full amount and withhold the "remainder" of the maximum potential payment as taxes? Or, will they only pay ~$18,750 and withhold the other 25% leaving me to pay the balance despite being under what was offered as maximum repayment?

3) Assuming I do not refinance or consolidate and have multiple individual loans at different interest rates. Can I specify the order in which the loans are to be repaid (in order to pay the higher interest rate loans first of course)?

Essentially, I am attempting to determine if I should consolidate / refinance my loans and perhaps take a lower monthly payment (even if perhaps at a very slightly higher interest rate) so that the military will end up paying more of my total remaining loan balance. Either way my loans should be repaid by the end of the 3 years of participation in the HPLRP; but based on my calculations, If I keep them as they are now then the third and final loan repayment lump sum will be less than the maximum allowed (~20k). If I consolidate, then my monthly payment will go down and I will get the full amount for all three years (and leaving a small remainder balance to pay myself at the end of the 3rd year- but the total amount paid by me for all 3 years will be slightly less). The difference for myself if I potentially consolidate will be a few thousand dollars- so not make-or-break, but enough that I want to fully understand the situation and to make the correct decision.

Sorry for the long and detailed post. Thank you for any help you may offer!

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[notdeadyet]

1. Dunno. I was told to be very careful about consolidation and/or refinancing, so I did neither.

2. Say the Army will pay up to $40K and hold $10K back for taxes. If you have $25K left on your loans, it will pay $25K in loans, pay about $6.2K towards your taxes, and the rest would be vapor.

3. You can not specify the order in which loans are repaid. Every year, it seems they take a different hack at them, at least in my case.

By the way, are you sure about the $120K limit? It was typically $240K ($40K x6 years).

 

[USARQuestions]

Got it. Yeah I keep getting mixed responses on the consolidation/refinancing issue, may just leave things alone to be safe. Can't seem to find anything more detailed in writing that would indicate one way or another.

Bummer that you can't specify which loans are repaid first.

They are still offering the $240k limit, but I only needed 3 years HPLRP and opted for 3 years special pay after (for the 6 year total commitment). Sorry for the confusion. Thank you for the help!

 

[deleted480308]

Bump and question about the timing of hplrp payback with mdssp/strap.....

As I understand it, hplrp can coincide with strap for the last year of residency. ($40k pgy3) but does a soldier need to pay off their obligation before hprlp pays during your attending years (in this case a long gap before hprlp would pay again) or does the hplrp keep paying each consecutive year until you reach max $240?

Short version....does hplrp pay out concurrently with the years you are actually serving your service obligation?

 

[notdeadyet]

Short version....does hplrp pay out concurrently with the years you are actually serving your service obligation?

No. You can not take HPLRP while paying back obligation for STRAP or MDSSP.

 

[deleted480308]

No. You can not take HPLRP while paying back obligation for STRAP or MDSSP.

And I’m assuming obligation payback has to be completed first before hplrp then? Like we cannot choose to continue hplrp and delay the obligation payback


So the timeline is hplrp/strap during last year of residency then the 11ish years of mdssp/strap payback....then complete hplrp?

 

[rottenba]

You can delay doing the MDSSP/STRAP payback years and continue getting HPLRP after residency. So the first HPLRP year is PGY-3 then (assuming you are an attending) you continue with your second year of HPLRP with no gap. This is exactly what I and others I know of are doing (I am fulfilling my 4th year of obligation currently).

 

[deleted480308]

You can delay doing the MDSSP/STRAP payback years and continue getting HPLRP after residency. So the first HPLRP year is PGY-3 then (assuming you are an attending) you continue with your second year of HPLRP with no gap. This is exactly what I and others I know of are doing (I am fulfilling my 4th year of obligation currently).

awesome, so you can do a.....

pgy1: strap
pgy2: strap
pgy3: strap/hplrp
hplrp
hprlp
hplrp
hplrp
hprlp (maxed $240)
begin mdssp/strap obligation payback

 

[notdeadyet]

awesome, so you can do a.....

pgy1: strap
pgy2: strap
pgy3: strap/hplrp
hplrp
hprlp
hplrp
hplrp
hprlp (maxed $240)
begin mdssp/strap obligation payback

Yep. You can defer payback while taking HPLRP.

 

[deleted954943]

How do folks make up the pay differential when they are deployed? Has anyone had a difficult time being hired because of their reserve obligation? I know it's technically illegal not to hire someone because he is in the military but employers can substitute any reason.

 

[deleted480308]

How do folks make up the pay differential when they are deployed? Has anyone had a difficult time being hired because of their reserve obligation? I know it's technically illegal not to hire someone because he is in the military but employers can substitute any reason.

You handle the pay differential by not living above your means.

And as a reservist “your means” means you might make just an army salary for 4months (or a year if you accept a key position)

 

[deleted954943]

You handle the pay differential by not living above your means.

And as a reservist “your means” means you might make just an army salary for 4months (or a year if you accept a key position)

What do you mean by a "key position"? The deployments can vary in length depending on your rank/position? Thanks for your reply.

 

[deleted480308]

What do you mean by a "key position"? The deployments can vary in length depending on your rank/position? Thanks for your reply.

Yes. If you take a command or staff position you are not protected by the shortened deployment rule. If you just hide out in the misc pool of docs in a meddet, you are

 

[notdeadyet]

How do folks make up the pay differential when they are deployed? Has anyone had a difficult time being hired because of their reserve obligation? I know it's technically illegal not to hire someone because he is in the military but employers can substitute any reason.

If you join the reserve component, you just have to accept that you are limited to large-size companies or organizations rather than small or small-is practices. Getting called up for 4 months q 2-3 years creates a real problem when your work shifts to 3 other colleagues. If you want to work for Kaiser, university, VA, you're fine.

 

[deleted954943]

If you join the reserve component, you just have to accept that you are limited to large-size companies or organizations rather than small or small-is practices. Getting called up for 4 months q 2-3 years creates a real problem when your work shifts to 3 other colleagues. If you want to work for Kaiser, university, VA, you're fine.

Thank you. One difficulty of making the decision to enroll in MDSSP is that you have no idea where your life will be or who you'll know by the time you graduate residency. While I've heard many people say they've had a positive experience in the military (some saying it was the best years in their career), I'm afraid that my obligation to the reserves may cost me an opportunity. Though, one benefit of joining the reserves is the professional connections you make in the Army. I'm confident that if one joins the military for the right reasons (which is to serve and give back), then one will be able to deal with the annoyances and sacrifices that come with the territory. I think a lot of people have the attitude "what can the Army do for me" rather than the other way around. That might sound platitudinous but it's the truth that a self-seeking and self-centered reality is the cause of the world's troubles.

 

[notdeadyet]

Thank you. One difficulty of making the decision to enroll in MDSSP is that you have no idea where your life will be or who you'll know by the time you graduate residency.

Too true. That's the problem with it. It's hard to make an educated decision about something like that because it demands that you have the answers to questions you can't answer yet. Not only do you know if you'll be married and/or have kids after residency and know where they want to live, you don' t even know what field you'll be practicing medicine in, let alone what practice environment you want to be in for that specialty. I won an award as a MS-2 for my soon-to-be bright career in Emergency Medicine. Guess who's isn't an EM doc? I sure didn't see that one coming.

Though, one benefit of joining the reserves is the professional connections you make in the Army.

How so? Personal contacts, definitely. I've met some great people. But professional connections? Not so much for the reserve component.

I'm confident that if one joins the military for the right reasons (which is to serve and give back), then one will be able to deal with the annoyances and sacrifices that come with the territory. I think a lot of people have the attitude "what can the Army do for me" rather than the other way around.

The problem is that 25yo single you may think that, but 33yo married with two kids you (when you START paying back the 8 years you owe for MDSSP or the 12 you owe if you take MDSSP plus STRAP with a four year residency) may not. And you really don't know where you'll be 8 years down the road.

The only convincing argument I've heard for MDSSP is if you go to a state where you get free or incredibly discounted medical school tuition by being in the military reserve component. Otherwise, it's a bad deal. I'd definitely defer until I at least finished med school and knew what specialty I was going into.

That might sound platitudinous but it's the truth that a self-seeking and self-centered reality is the cause of the world's troubles.

<<<deleting comment>>>

 

[notdeadyet]

Thanks for your input but I'm really not sure why you went there with it. Can you not see the blatant prejudice in that statement?

Sorry, that probably wasn't fair. I'd been dealing with the downstream effects of these recent synagogue shootings to come home to more coverage of immigrant caravans and the like, so hearing comments on a web board of people trying to choose how to best attend medical school that the world's problems are caused by self-seeking and self-centered attitudes just rubbed me as problematic.

Not fair to take it out on you, though. My bad.

I still contend that MDSSP is not a good deal for 95% of the folks tempted to take it. Caveat emptor.

 

[deleted954943]

I still contend that MDSSP is not a good deal for 95% of the folks tempted to take it. Caveat emptor.

Part of the reason I wanted to take the stipend is because I probably will get married and have children while in medical school/residency and could use the extra money. The stipend would prevent me from accumulating tens of thousands more in debt. It's true though that I do not like the idea of incurring such a long term obligation to the reserves without knowing what the future.

 

[MinosoTheFool]

Not to totally derail the topic, but I’ve got a few logistical questions I can’t seem to get a straight answer to.
Background: I’m Army Reserve, STRAP, HPLR, attached to APMC. I’m PGY-IV in radiology, applying to IR fellowships tomorrow.

As it stands I’ve taken STRAP for 27 months and looking down the barrel of ticking over to a six year commitment come March. I genuinely assume I’ll stay in the reserves long term, but I like the idea of staying out of choice rather than obligation, especially since I don’t really NEED the extra money. Multi-point questions follow:

1. If I were to stop taking the STRAP stipend, would I be able to continue turning in 1380s or would my protection from drill end? Does my countdown to BOLC start early? Would I be compelled to join a local unit rather than stay with APMC?

2. I’m in as a diagnostic radiologist (61R) but applying for an interventional fellowship. Does anyone know the process that would allow me to do fellowship without a simultaneous service obligation to contend with? Would they want me to change job class to IR?

3. Post-training, what is the process for attachment to a local unit? It seems like some docs stay with APMC. What are the implications of either of these?

4. Minimally related: Does anyone have experience with radiologists while deployed? I’ve been told wildly different things about where we tend to deploy and what our on the ground jobs entail. There are myriad things I can’t exclude. Can any of you provide this image reader some clinical correlation?
Thanks!


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[notdeadyet]

There are myriad things I can’t exclude. Can any of you provide this image reader some clinical correlation?
Thanks!

Sorry, I’m ARNG and your questions are specific to Army Reserve (the Guard doesn’t have radiologists, APMC, etc.), but this made me chuckle...

 

[deleted480308]

Not to totally derail the topic, but I’ve got a few logistical questions I can’t seem to get a straight answer to.
Background: I’m Army Reserve, STRAP, HPLR, attached to APMC. I’m PGY-IV in radiology, applying to IR fellowships tomorrow.

As it stands I’ve taken STRAP for 27 months and looking down the barrel of ticking over to a six year commitment come March. I genuinely assume I’ll stay in the reserves long term, but I like the idea of staying out of choice rather than obligation, especially since I don’t really NEED the extra money. Multi-point questions follow:

1. If I were to stop taking the STRAP stipend, would I be able to continue turning in 1380s or would my protection from drill end? Does my countdown to BOLC start early? Would I be compelled to join a local unit rather than stay with APMC?

2. I’m in as a diagnostic radiologist (61R) but applying for an interventional fellowship. Does anyone know the process that would allow me to do fellowship without a simultaneous service obligation to contend with? Would they want me to change job class to IR?

3. Post-training, what is the process for attachment to a local unit? It seems like some docs stay with APMC. What are the implications of either of these?

4. Minimally related: Does anyone have experience with radiologists while deployed? I’ve been told wildly different things about where we tend to deploy and what our on the ground jobs entail. There are myriad things I can’t exclude. Can any of you provide this image reader some clinical correlation?
Thanks!


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The reserves sounds glorious, 1380s AND no demand to be in bolc within a few years of commissioning? That is not the life in all the guard states

 

[FortunateSon]

You can consolidate or refinance loans with HPLRP, but you have to prove that they were for med/dental school. Here's the NG's FY19 policy:

Qualified loans must have documentation that indicates the loan was incurred concurrently with the training received in a health professions school. If health professions educational loans are refinanced, the original documentation of the loan(s) will be submitted to NGB through GIMS to establish the simultaneous nature of such loans. The loan must have been secured at least 1 year before the repayment. If loans are consolidated, original paperwork identifying date and school attended during the time the loan was incurred must be submitted to NGB through GIMS. Payments cannot be made if we cannot determine what part of a consolidated loan was for the qualifying degree.

 

[buffdoc]

4. Minimally related: Does anyone have experience with radiologists while deployed? I’ve been told wildly different things about where we tend to deploy and what our on the ground jobs entail. There are myriad things I can’t exclude. Can any of you provide this image reader some clinical correlation?
Thanks!

When I was at a Role II that was co-located with an FST, we would occasionally send films into the Ethernet to get a read...and a read would come back within a couple of hours. I assumed the radiologist was at a super-plussed Role III like at Bagram, but for all I knew they were in Germany or maybe even Walter Reed. In other words, they are typically in a relatively "cush" MEDCEN.