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Bill Will Help District Medical Professionals Assist the Underserved
Washington, DC – Last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate agreed on the final language of the “Health Centers Renewal Act of 2008” (H.R. 1343) and sent the bill to the President. The final bill incorporated language from the “District of Columbia Loan Repayment Equity Technical Amendment Act of 2007” (H.R. 2624) authored by D.C. Congresswomen Eleanor Holmes Norton. If signed by the President, District of Columbia medical professionals will be allowed to participate in the Federal Student Loan Repayment Program.
Today, Councilmember David Catania, Chairman of the Committee on Health, thanked Norton and others for their efforts to ensure that the District of Columbia can participate in this important program
“This is amazing news for healthcare in the District of Columbia,” said Catania. “The loan repayment program provides a great incentive for medical professionals to practice in areas where primary health services are scarce.”
In 2005, Councilmember Catania co-authored the “District of Columbia Health Professional Recruitment Program Act of 2005,” to attract health professionals to underserved areas in the District. After its passage, however, the District learned that under the “Public Health Act” it was not eligible for federal matching funds for this program like the rest of the 50 states. In February 2007, Catania along with Mayor Fenty and Council Chairman Vincent Gray wrote members of Congress asking their support remedy this situation. In June 2007, Norton introduced H.R. 2624, which added the District to this program.
In addition to Norton, Catania thanked Fenty, Gray, and the District of Columbia Primary Care Association for their lobbying efforts on behalf of District healthcare professionals.
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