Temporary Guidelines for Nebraska Loan Repayment and Student Loan Forgiveness Participants
If you are directly affected by COVID-19, contact Rachael Wolfe to discuss your service obligation: (402) 471-0778 or Rachael.Wolfe@nebraska.gov.
Loan repayment awards are available to primary care, mental, dental and allied health professionals practicing in shortage areas in Nebraska. View the eligible areas and facilities below.
There is one application for both of the state loan repayment programs. The individual seeking loan repayment must initiate the application. Once they complete and submit their portion, a notice will be sent to the entity providing the matching funds. The entity then completes the application. Applications will be deleted from the system if they remain incomplete after 90 days.
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Up to 18 months before you are fully licensed and practicing in the shortage area.
We recommend applying as soon as possible because funds are limited each fiscal year. Health professionals are looking at a waiting period of up to 24 months from date of application.
Please check with Office of Rural Health staff for an estimate of the current waiting period.
The application is initiated by the health professional.
Once they complete their portion, the employer (or local entity providing matching funds) receives a link to fill out the second half of the application.
Once both portions have been filled out, the application is considered complete.
$180,000-$200,000 for doctors and dentists
$90,000 to $100,000 for other professions
$25,000-$30,000 per year for doctors and dentists
$12,500-$15,000 per year for other professions
No – the program is intended as a partnership between the state and the local community to recruit and retain health professionals. Funds must be provided by the employer.
If you are self-employed or your employer is unable to provide the match, another local entity can provide these funds (a community foundation, a local hospital, etc).
The Office of Rural Health does not assist with recruitment or placements at specific sites. We recommend you work with your program to find an appropriate site, and direct you to the 3rnet website.
If you are from a shortage area, we recommend maintaining communication with potential employers about your desire to return and practice in your area, as well as your need for loan repayment assistance.
The Rural Health Advisory Commission is responsible for identifying shortage areas for purposes of the Nebraska Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act. Every 3 years a statewide review of all state-designated shortage areas is completed. The data comes from UNMC's Health Professions Tracking Service (HPTS).
Shortage Area Guidelines
We will assess applications as they come in and let you know which program(s) you qualify for.
If you qualify for both programs, we'll lay out both offers for you. While we generally send these offers with a recommendation, you will make the final decision.
No. The NHSC State Loan Repayment program can be done before or after the State Loan Repayment program, but you cannot participate in both simultaneously.
If you previously participated in Student Loan Forgiveness, you must complete that obligation before participating in one of the Loan Repayment Programs.
Government or commercial educational loans in the student's name.
The following loans do not qualify specifically for NHSC State Loan Repayment:
Full time is a minimum of 40 hours per week. The Commission has further defined this as at least 32 hours of scheduled patient time per week, plus other duties.
Part time work may qualify you for partial loan repayment. Part time is defined as a minimum of 20 hours per week.
The site providing the local match sends us their portion yearly. We pay the health professional quarterly, in the month following each quarter.
These funds are not taxable as income.
If this is due to the health professional's permanent disability, they must provide documentation to the Office of Rural Health and are then released from their obligation.
Otherwise, the health professional must find a successor local entity or pay back all funds received plus a penalty and interest.