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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

93.162:  National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

Popular Name:  NHSC Loan Repayment Program

Objectives:  To help assure an adequate supply of trained health professionals for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) by providing for the repayment of educational loans for participants who agree (by written contract) to serve an applicable period of time in an approved loan repayment program service site located in a health professional shortage area.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

93.162 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Individuals are eligible to apply if they have (1) U.S. citizenship; (2) a health professions degree or are in professional practice (they must hold an unrestricted health professions license from the State in which they will be working, and be eligible for selection for a Federal civil service appointment, or hold an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service); (3) not defaulted on any Federal debt or do not have a court judgment against them; and (4) no existing service obligation.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Beneficiaries include full-time students of medicine, dentistry or nursing; or eligible civilians in the National Health Service Corps.

Credentials/Documentation:  Applicants must submit: (1) Copy of all loan documentation; (2) proof of citizenship, if the applicant was not born in the United States; and (3) other documentation as required by the program.

93.162 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  The application form to be used by this program has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Applications may be obtained by writing to: National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 450, Vienna, VA 22182-2536 or calling: 1-800-221-9393 or in Virginia (703) 821-8955.

Award Procedure:  Priority will be given to individuals whose training is in a health discipline or specialty determined by the Secretary for Health and Human Services to be needed by the NHSC, who are nearest to availability for service, and who the Secretary determines are committed to service in medically-underserved areas. From time to time the Secretary will publish a notice detailing the professions and specialties most needed by the NHSC.

Deadlines:  Applications for fiscal year 2000 must be postmarked by April 30, 2000.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  About 60 Days.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Extensions will be considered according to the availability of appropriated funds and eligibility criteria applied to the individual and the site at which that individual is employed.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Priority will be given to applicants who are individuals whose training is in a health profession or specialty determined by the Secretary to be needed by NHSC.

Examples of Funded Projects:  During fiscal year 1999, the program matched a total of 469 contracts to students and graduates in health professions training or with health professions degrees or licenses.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  From $10,000 to $69,500; $59,602.

93.162 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 93.288 National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program;
• 93.342 Health Professions Student Loans;
• 93.364 Nursing Student Loans;
• 93.972 Health Professions Scholarship Program.

93.162 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

93.162 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $37,329,434; FY 00 est $37,961,600; and FY 01 est $37,961,600.

Budget Account Number:  75-0350-0-1-550.

Authorization:  Public Health Service Act, Section 338B, 42 U.S.C. 254 (l-1), as amended; National Health Service Corps Amendments Act of 1987, Title II, Public Law 101-597.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  Pertinent information is contained in Section 338B of Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254) as amended by Title II, Public Law 100-177. The National Health Service Corps Amendments of 1987, 45 CFR 100, and PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000, (Rev.) April 1, 1994. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is pending.

93.162 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  Program Contact: Chief, Loan Repayment Programs Branch, Division of Scholarships and Loan Repayments, Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, 10th Floor, 4350 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: (301) 594-4400. Use the same number for FTS. Public Information Phone: 1-800-435-6464.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

93.162 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Loan repayments for 1 year of obligated service will be made no later than the end of the fiscal year in which the individual completes such year of service.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Awards provide payments of up to $25,000 a year towards participants' qualified government and commercial health professions undergraduate and graduate education loans plus a tax assistance payment of 39 percent during the first 2 years of practice at a selected NHSC Loan Repayment Service Site under a written agreement with this program. For subsequent years, payments of up to $35,000 a year plus a tax assistance payment of 39 percent may be made available under a written agreement. Health professions given priority for selection are those determined by the manpower needs of the NHSC. For fiscal year 2000, priority for selection is given to: (1) Primary care physicians; (2) dentists; (3) certified nurse midwives; (4) certified nurse practitioners; (5) physicians assistants; (6) clinical psychologists; (7) clinical social workers; (8) psychiatric nurse specialists; (9) marriage and family therapists; and (10) dental hygienists. Contracts may be awarded to those who are available for service during the period from October 1999 to September 30, 2000.

93.162 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  The DHHS Field Offices are to monitor performance in private practice option (PPO) placements and participants prepare necessary reports. In Health Center placements, performance is reported on Bureau forms (OMB Clearance Number 0915-0004).

Audits:  None.

Records:  Financial records must be kept available for 3 years after the end of the service obligation.