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If eligible, clinicians and patient support staff in fields struggling with staff shortages can receive between $25k and $300k in loan repayments, according to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.
The MA Repay Program is repaying over $130 million in student loans for the current application cycle between Dec. 5, 2022 and Jan. 30, 2023. The program is designed to counteract burnout and stress from the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting health care staff who work in primary care, behavioral health, and substance use.
Recipients who receive repayments will have four to five year service commitments beginning in the spring of 2023. Health care workers can check their eligibility at the program's online portal.
"Although primary and behavioral health care is associated with higher value and better outcomes for Massachusetts residents, our society has consistently undervalued these essential healthcare services. This loan repayment program is an effort to right that wrong,” said Michael Curry, President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers.
Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Trust Fund. Government and commercial loans are both eligible to be repaid through this program.
“The pandemic has exacerbated workforce shortages across the health care and human services sector in both the public and private markets, placing significant stress on our health care providers, their staff and our Massachusetts residents seeking care,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “Through this program, we are providing tangible support to sustain them in this high demand work.”
Massachusetts has an existing loan forgiveness program for healthcare workers: the Massachusetts Loan Repayment Program for Health Professionals. That program provides up to $50,000 in student loan repayment to health care workers who commit to work two years in an underserved community. The application cycle for the Massachusetts Loan Repayment Program for Health Professionals is currently closed.
Around 71% percent of medical students graduate with medical debt, and those in debt owe an average sum of $205,037, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. The MA Repay Program will likely provide welcome relief for health care workers shouldering large loans while providing essential services.
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