Physician Education Loan Repayment Program Fact Sheet

The purpose of the program is to recruit and retain qualified physicians to provide primary health care in areas of Texas that are medically under-served and for certain state agencies. Applicants meeting additional requirements may be eligible for federal matching funds through the State Loan Repayment Program.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

	Have a current unrestricted license with no disciplinary action from the Texas Medical Board;
	Practice an approved specialty;
	Work at an approved practice site;
	Have earned board certification within the last six years in one of the approved specialties, or (except for general practitioners) have satisfactorily completed an approved postgraduate program;
	Accept Medicaid assignment as full payment for services, and not deny services based on a patient's ability to pay;
	Not have received start-up assistance under Chapter 46, of the Health and Safety Code

APPROVED SPECIALITIES

	Family Practice		General Pediatrics
	Osteopathic Family Practice		Psychiatry
	Obstetrics/Gynecology		Emergency Medicine*
	General Internal Medicine		General Surgery*

*Emergency Medicine and General Surgery are not eligible for matching State Loan Repayment Program funds.

APPROVED PRACTICE SITES

	Federally designated Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA's), or Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (MHPSA) for psychiatrists, in Texas;
	Federally funded Community Health Centers;
	Texas Health and Human Services Commission;
	Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
	Texas Youth Commission; and
	Texas Department of State Health Services

SERVICE PERIOD

The physician must provide eligible services for at least 12 consecutive months at an approved practice site. The first year of service is for 12 consecutive months after the date the application is received or the date eligible service began, whichever is later.

ANNUAL LOAN AMOUNTS

For state fiscal year (September 1, 2008 – August 31, 2009) the Coordinating Board is implementing the following increased loan repayment amounts based on years of service in the program:

	$13,000 for first year providers
	$15,000 for second and third year providers
	$18,000 for fourth year providers
	$20,000 for fifth year providers

Please note that the above graduated repayment amounts are currently applicable in FY2009 only. Loan repayments for the biennium beginning September 1, 2009 and ending on August 31, 2010 will be determined after funding for this program is finalized following the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature.

Applications are now available for download.

For more information, please visit our websites www.CollegeforTexans.com or www.hhloans.com, or send a message to loaninfo@thecb.state.tx.us. You may call THECB Loan Services at 1-800-242-3062 (outside Austin), or at 512-427-6340 (Austin area).