New Hampshire APRN Loan Repayment Strategies

Let’s face it. It’s hard work reaching the status of APRN; and paying off the debt you’ve racked up in order to reach that status can amount to even more of a challenge than the toughest clinicals in your academic career.

But, this isn’t a hopeless challenge. In fact, there programs in place that can help with your APRN loan repayment strategies. One such program is the New Hampshire State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Certain areas of New Hampshire are in dire need of medical professionals of all types, including APRNs, so they are more than happy to help you with paying off your loan—if you can meet the requirements.

What Is The New Hampshire SLRP?

Basically, there is a shortage of health professionals throughout the state of New Hampshire. The Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) and Rural Health & Primary Care Section (RHPC) instituted the New Hampshire SLRP in order to remedy this shortage by providing loan repayment to medical professionals working in areas affected by this shortage.

These underserved areas include:

• Medically Underserved Areas/Populations (MUA/Ps)
• Health Care Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)
• Governor’s Exceptional Medically Underserved Populations (E-MUP)
• Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (DHPSAs)
• Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (MHPSAs)
• Facilities/organizations funded by HHS programs

What Are The Requirements For Your Practice?

Practices participating in SLRP:

• Agree to provide care to all patients, regardless of ability to pay
• Agree to have a sliding-fee schedule in place based on federal poverty guidelines
• Must accept both Medicaid and Medicare
• Must provide free care if medically necessary

What Are Your Service Requirements?

If you choose to participate in SLRP, you’d better plan on staying awhile. In order to be eligible for APRN Student Loan Repayment, there is a minimum service requirement of thirty-six months—if you opt for full time service. If you choose part time service, the requirement is twenty-four months.

How Is Eligibility Determined?

Eligible applicants must:

• Be US Citizens
• Be without any unserved obligations for service to any other agency, whether governmental or non-governmental
• Not be involved in any other loan repayment program
• Be licensed in the State of New Hampshire
• Be able to begin full- or part-time clinical service once a contract has been signed

Which Professionals Qualify For New Hampshire SLRP?

There are three tiers of medical professionals who can receive SLRP under this program. APRNs fall under tier 2. Eligible APRN positions include:

• Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
• Certified Nurse Midwives (NMs)
• Primary Care Physician Assistants (PAs)
• Psychiatric Nurse Specialists (PNSs)

RNs and LPNs are not eligible for funding.

How Much Can You Expect Your APRN Student Loan Repayment To Be?

The amount of your APRN student loan repayment depends on whether you choose to serve full time or part time. Full time APRN participants should expect to get paid back $45,000—but if they choose to work beyond the minimum service obligation (36 months) there is an opportunity for an extension. They may receive an additional $20,000 in exchange for 24 additional months of service.

Part time APRN participants can expect $17,500 if they do the minimum service obligation of 24 months, with an opportunity for a 12-month extension, which will result in an additional $5,000.

What Is The Funding Match?

If either an eligible practice site or, optionally, the community in which you plan to practice can provide you with a one-to-one funding match for each state dollar in your SLRP contract, your application will be considered first.

What Are The Yearly Application Deadlines?

• March 15 (July 1 start)
• June 15 (October 1 start)
• September 15 (January 1 start)
• December 15 (April 1 start)

For a complete description of the program and for more information visit: http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/bchs/rhpc/repayment.htm

***Disclaimer: This article is for publication purposes only. EHS is not responsible for the accuracy of the program details and eligibility are at the state of New Hampshire’s discretion. Readers are encouraged to visit the website above for more information and to see if you are eligible.

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