Bill > HB157

This bill establishes the Rural Health Care Grant Program to address healthcare practitioner shortages in rural and medically underserved areas of Pennsylvania. The program will allow healthcare entities in these areas to receive grants to help pay off education debt for full-time practitioners like physicians, nurses, midwives, dentists, and dental hygienists who commit to working at least three years in these locations. Grants will be awarded by the Department of Health, with a maximum of $250,000 per entity per calendar year, and will be distributed directly to education debt creditors on behalf of practitioners. Priority will be given to independent healthcare entities not affiliated with larger health systems. Practitioners must be licensed in Pennsylvania, begin work within six months of being hired, and work full-time (defined as more than 30 hours per week) to qualify. The program aims to recruit and retain high-quality healthcare professionals in areas that struggle to maintain medical services, potentially preventing the closure of healthcare facilities in rural and underserved regions. The Department of Health will track and report annually on the program's progress, including the number of grants awarded, practitioners assisted, and total funds distributed, while ensuring the privacy of individual practitioners' personal information.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Health and Social Services

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=157