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US Reps Jill Tokuda of Hawaiʻi and Carol Miller of West Virginia introduced the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act to increase access to federal programs that help grow and strengthen the pipeline of healthcare professionals in primary care, mental and behavioral health, and dental services.
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, including the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, and the Faculty Loan Repayment Program. Exempting scholarships and loan repayment awards from federal income tax would allow the federal health agency 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 shortage of healthcare workers in the United States has left millions of patients without access to the care they need, while causing undue stress and strain on the current workforce. Without further action, tough working conditions and increased financial barriers will only continue to discourage more people from joining the profession,” Tokuda said. “That’s why I introduced the Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act, which would boost the value of federal scholarships and loan repayment funds that support aspiring healthcare professionals and enable us to recruit and retain providers in rural and underserved areas. This bipartisan effort will help us fill critical gaps in our healthcare workforce to increase health systems’ capacity and improve patient care and outcomes.”
Miller said: “A shortage of health care workers in rural communities presents many challenges for hospitals and medical facilities trying to provide the best possible care for their patients. The Strengthening Pathways to Health Professions Act will extend the tax-exempt status provided to awards of the National Health Service Corps programs which would give financial relief to health care personnel. Individuals in the health care industry should receive the full amount of the scholarship or grant they receive, and this legislation will help grow and strengthen the medical field.”
“For more than 30 years, the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program has been a critical tool to help grow Native Hawaiian leaders in healthcare. But the high cost of living and rising medical education costs have made it increasingly difficult for the program to reach more of our ʻoiwi interested in pursuing careers in healthcare,” said Sheri-Ann Daniels, chief executive officer of Papa Ola Lōkahi. “We are grateful for the leadership of Representatives Tokuda and Miller on this issue. This legislation will create more opportunities for Native Hawaiian students and strengthen our ability to recruit and retain more healthcare providers serving our Native Hawaiian communities.”
The bill is endorsed by 50 national and local organizations including the American College of Physicians, America’s Essential Hospitals, Association of American Medical Colleges, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Rural Health Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing, Healthcare Association of Hawaiʻi, the Queen’s Health Systems and West Virginia Hospital Association.
The full text of the bill can be found here.
