The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) administers two programs to increase access to care in Oregon’s rural and underserved communities. It is expected that more than 250,000 additional Oregonians will join the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) by 2016 so the State is working with two Oregon Education Loan Programs to help bring more primary care providers to rural and underserved communities.
The Oregon State Partnership Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) is a cost-sharing partnership between the ORH, practice sites, and HRSA. Through a grant from HRSA, ORH can now offer matching funds to practice sites that are willing to contribute 50 percent of the loan repayment.
Sites are also required to pay an administrative fee. Qualified providers include doctors, nurses practitioners, physician assistants, plus dental, and mental health providers. Over the past four years, the SLRP program has offered loan repayments to 32 qualified providers.
Oregon’s SLRP program is unique as it is the only one in the nation that currently includes a match in funding with a practice site. Traditional SLRP programs use state funds to match the federal SLRP grant contribution.
“Oregon does not currently have that ability,” reports ORH Director Scott Ekblad. “We knew that there was a need and a desire for a loan repayment program and it is fortunate that practice sites stepped up to the plate and agreed to match the federal funds.”
SLRP awardees are eligible for loan repayments up to $35,000 per year for a minimum of two years of service to go to the practice site. It is possible for awardees to receive extensions for up to two years but practice sites must match the award.
The second loan program called “The Oregon Medicaid Primary Care Loan Repayment Program” (MPCLRP) was established by the 2013 Oregon Legislature to provide loan repayments to primary care clinicians who serve the Medicaid expansion as a result of ACA.
Awards are made quarterly but not on an ongoing cycle like in the SLRP program. The program is offering $3.6 million in loan repayments to eligible practitioners and about 35 to 40 healthcare providers are expected to participate.
MPCLRP awardees receive 20 percent of their unpaid student debt, up to $35,000 per year for a minimum of three years for a full-time participant and a maximum of five years for a part-time participant. Part time participants receive 10 percent of their eligible loan debt balance for up to $17,500 per year.
In exchange, participants agree to serve Medicaid and other patients in a qualifying practice site. These qualifying sites are located in every county in the state and include rural hospitals, rural health clinics, FQHCs, and other clinical practices located in Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Go to www.ohsu.edu/oregonruralhealth for more information.