The Rural Health Professional Incentive Program offers loan repayment assistance for primary care, mental, dental, and other health professionals who agree to practice for three years in a state-designated shortage area in rural Nebraska. Governor Pillen’s budget proposal reduces funding for the Rural Health Professional Incentive Program by $1.5 million, a cut that will affect rural workforce recruitment and retention efforts relied upon by hospitals.
The proposed cuts threaten to dismantle this highly successful program, jeopardizing health care access for rural communities and exacerbating the health care workforce crisis. We implore you to contact your state senator and urge them to protect this vital program that helps ensure a healthier future for all Nebraskans.
