Last week, U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02) and Carol Miller (R-WV-01) introduced the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act to increase access to federal programs that help grow and strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals. The Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act would provide tax-exempt status to certain federal scholarship and loan repayment programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), including the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program, and the Faculty Loan Repayment Program. Exempting scholarships and loan repayment awards from federal income tax would allow HRSA to make additional and higher awards to increase program participation.
Furthermore, awardees—students, residents, faculty, and providers—would receive the full financial benefit of their awards to cover educational costs without the added tax burden.
The bill is endorsed by 50 national and local organizations. You can read more about the
bill here. AHCA/NCAL will continue its advocacy around policies that help bolster the health care workforce that supports our nation’s LTC residents.