The Rural America Health Corps Act would establish a five-year demonstration program to help healthcare professionals pay off student loans if they work in rural areas with health shortages. The program targets doctors, nurses, and other health professionals who qualify for the existing National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program but aren't currently participating in it. Participants must commit to five years of full-time work in a rural health professional shortage area, and the government would repay up to $200,000 of their eligible student loans—paying one-fifth each year and the remainder after completing all five years. The bill authorizes $50 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 and requires the Department of Health and Human Services to report back to Congress within five years on whether the program improved healthcare access in rural communities.
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