Contents of this area:

Recruitment Services       Federal Faculty Loan Repayment Program       Federal Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program       Federally Qualified Health Centers       Greater New Orleans Health Service Corps       Health Professional Shortage Areas       J-1 Visa Waiver Program       La. Task Force on the Future of Family Medicine       Louisiana Tax Credit for Physicians and Dentists       Med Job Louisiana - Louisiana's professional recruitment program       National Health Service Corps Initiative           Applying for National Health Service Corps           HRSA Grant           NHSC - Community Site Profiles       State Loan Repayment Program

State Loan Repayment Program Factsheet
State Loan Repayment Application

About the State Loan Repayment Program
The purpose of the Louisiana State Loan Repayment Program is to encourage primary care practitioners to serve in Health Professional Shortage Areas. For the purpose of recruitment under this program, eligible primary care practitioners include those who are specialty board certified or have completed a residency in family practice, osteopathic general practice, obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, or dentistry. Mid-levels include physician assistants, advanced nurse practitioners, and nurse midwives. The mission of the program is to alleviate, and ultimately overcome, the state's problem of a substantial mal-distribution of primary care health professionals in rural and inner city areas.  
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Work in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area

Work for a public or nonprofit entity

Work full-time (40 hours per week) in an outpatient capacity

Accept assignment of  Medicare, Medicaid

Have a sliding fee scale for low-income, uninsured patients

Be a United States citizen

Licensed to practice in Louisiana

Have no other obligation for health professional services

Have not defaulted on educational loans

Have not breached a health professional service contract

COMPENSATION 
To enhance the provision of the health care services, the program will repay governmental or commercial educational loans obtained by the practitioner which have been consolidated into one loan. Physicians and dentists can receive up to $18,000 per year for a two-year commitment, up to $20,000 per year for a three-year commitment.  Mid-levels can receive up to $5,000 per year for a two-year commitment, up to $7,000 per year for a three-year commitment.

Should a primary care physician work in a health professional shortage area AND in one of the top 10 priority parishes, the practitioner can receive up to $30,000 per year for a three-year commitment.

Should a dentist work in a health professional shortage area AND accept referrals for HIV infected patients from the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health's and/or the Louisiana State University Health Science Center's outpatient sites, he/she can receive up to $30,000 per year for a three-year commitment.

For additional information, contact Jeanne Haupt at 225.342.3506 or e-mail jeanne.haupt@la.gov.

The mission of the Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health is “to improve the health status of Louisiana residents in rural and underserved areas by building health systems’ capacity to provide integrated, effective and efficient health care services.” 

The Louisiana State Loan Repayment program is a federal and state program that assists in the expansion of health care services for the medically underserved populations in rural and underserved areas.   It is a policy of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals – Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health to ensure that all health care providers eligible to participate in these programs have an established and utilized sliding fee scale policy for accepting all patients regardless of their ability to pay.  All clinics must have an active policy in place for a minimum of 90 days before applications will be approved.  Active is described as a written policy in place (reviewed and accepted by DHH), signage posted in a conspicuous place in the waiting room of the clinic that specifies all patients will be seen regardless of their ability to pay, and front office staff trained on how to use this scale to discount services. During and after this 90 days waiting period, DHH staff will conduct unannounced site visits to verify compliance with all program guidelines.

NOTE: Clinics that are mandated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to have a sliding fee scale policy are exempt from the 90 days requirement.