B 26-0756

MURIEL BOWSER
    MAYOR
July 9, 2026
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. , Suite 504
Washington, D.C. 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
Please find attached the Health Professional Loan Repayment Amendment Act of 2026 for
enactment by the Council of the District of Columbia.
If enacted, the proposed legislation would amend the District of Columbia Health Professional
Recruitment Program Act of 2005, effective March 8, 2006 (D.C. Law 16-71; D.C. Official Code
§ 7-751.01 et seq.) to add certified addiction counselors to the definition of other health
professionals eligible to participate in the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program
(HPLRP). The proposed legislation also amends the Health Professional Recruitment Program
Act of 2005 to ensure DC Health can meet its contractual obligations for existing providers and
recruit new participants for the Program within funding limitations.
The proposed legislation clarifies that participants can have up to 100% of their total debt repaid
by the HPRLP, but not to exceed a specified amount based upon the health professional license
they hold. It also provides the Director of the Department of Health with the authority to modify
allocation procedures and total loan repayment amounts and based on available funding . This
legislation ensures that DC Health can effectively implement this program, which continues to
increase access to health care for District residents , especially those in Health Professional
Shortage Areas or Medically Underserved Areas.
I urge the Council to take prompt and favorable action on the enclosed legislation.
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                                                              'U:?l7b;#-
                                                              ,.
                                                              Chairman Phil Mendelson
3at the request of the Mayor
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7A BILL
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10IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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14 To amend the District of Columbia Health Professional Recruitment Program Act of
152005 to add certified addiction counselors as health professionals eligible to
16participate in the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program ("Program"), to
17increase the maximum loan repayment amounts under the Program, to clarify that
18the maximum loan repayment amounts are not mandatory loan repayment
19amounts, and to replace the statutory annual repayment schedule with a regulatory
20schedule
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22BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
23 That this act may be cited as the "Health Professional Loan Repayment Amendment Act
24 of 2026."
25Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Health Professional Recruitment Program Act of
26 2005, effective March 8, 2006 (D.C. Law 16-71; D.C. Official Code§ 7-751.01 et seq.),
27 is amended as follows:
28(a) Section 2(6) (D.C. Official Code§ 7-751.01(6)) is amended by striking the
29 phrase "or physician assistants" and inserting the phrase "physician assistants, or certified
30 addiction counselors" in its place.
31(b) Section 9 (D.C. Official Code§ 7-751.08) is amended as follows:
32(1) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows:
33"(a) Physicians and dentists who are full-time participants in the Program shall be
34 eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $165,000, repaid by the
35 Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each
36 such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director
37 required by section 8.”.
38(2) Subsection (a-1) is amended to read as follows:
39“(a-1) Physicians who are full-time participants in the Program and who
40 specialize and practice in obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, or another medical
41 specialty identified by the Director or who sub-specialize and practice in oncology,
42 cardiology, neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, nephrology,
43 endocrinology, podiatry, ophthalmology, or another medical sub-specialty identified by
44 the Director shall be eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed
45 $200,000, repaid by the Program for up to 4 years of service; provided, that the
46 participants practice in Ward 7 or 8 for the contractually required number of hours
47 for full-time service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each such participant
48 shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director required by
49 section 8.”.
50(3) Subsection (b) is amended to read as follows:
51“(b) Other health professionals who are full-time participants in the Program shall
52 be eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $90,000, repaid by the
53 Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each
54 such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director
55 required by section 8.”.
56(4) Subsection (c) is repealed.
57(5) Subsection (d) is amended to read as follows:
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58“(d) Physicians and dentists who are part-time participants in the Program shall be
59 eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $82,000, repaid by the
60 Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each
61 such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director
62 required by section 8.”.
63(6) Subsection (e) is amended to read as follows:
64“(e) Physicians who are part-time participants in the Program and who specialize
65 and practice in obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, or another medical specialty
66 identified by the Director or who sub-specialize and practice in oncology, cardiology,
67 neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, nephrology, endocrinology, podiatry,
68 ophthalmology, or another medical sub-specialty identified by the Director shall be
69 eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $100,000, repaid by the
70 Program for up to 4 years of service; provided, that the participants practice in Ward 7 or
71 8 for the contractually required number of hours for part-time service. The maximum
72 annual repayment amount for each such participant shall be set forth in the contract
73 between the participant and the Director required by section 8.”.
74(7) Subsection (f) is amended to read as follows:
75“(f) Other health professionals who are part-time participants in the Program shall
76 be eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $45,000, repaid by the
77 Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each
78 such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director
79 required by section 8.”.
80(8) A new subsection (g) is added to read as follows:
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81“(g)(1) The Mayor may, by rule, annually increase the maximum total loan
82 repayment amounts set forth in this subsection by the annual percentage increase in the
83 consumer price index.
84“(2) The Mayor shall, by rule, establish the maximum percentage and
85 maximum dollar amount of a participant’s total debt that may be repaid annually. The
86 maximum annual percentage shall not exceed 30% of the participant’s total debt and the
87 maximum dollar amount shall not exceed 30% of the applicable maximum total loan
88 repayment amount.”.
89Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
90The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the
91 fiscal impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home
92 Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-
93 206.02(c)(3)).
94Sec. 4. Effective date.
95This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto
96 by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and a 30-day period of
97 Congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home
98 Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-
99 206.02(c)(1)).
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