District of Columbia2025Active
B26-0755
Health Professional Loan Repayment Temporary Amendment Act of 2026
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 4:28 AM
In one sentence
This bill temporarily adds certified addiction counselors to the District's loan repayment program, sets new maximum debt limits for different health workers based on their job and hours worked, and allows annual adjustments tied to inflation.
What it does
- Adds certified addiction counselors to the list of professionals eligible for the Health Professional Loan Repayment Program.
- Sets a maximum total repayment limit of $165,000 for full-time physicians and dentists who do not specialize in specific high-need areas or work in Wards 7 or 8.
- Increases the maximum total repayment to $200,000 for full-time physicians specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, oncology, cardiology, neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, nephrology, endocrinology, podiatry, ophthalmology, or other Director-identified specialties who practice in Ward 7 or 8.
- Sets a maximum total repayment limit of $90,000 for full-time 'other health professionals,' which now includes certified addiction counselors.
- Sets a maximum total repayment limit of $82,000 for part-time physicians and dentists who do not specialize in specific high-need areas or work in Wards 7 or 8.
- Increases the maximum total repayment to $100,000 for part-time physicians specializing in obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, oncology, cardiology, neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, nephrology, endocrinology, podiatry, ophthalmology, or other Director-identified specialties who practice in Ward 7 or 8.
- Sets a maximum total repayment limit of $45,000 for part-time 'other health professionals.'
- Clarifies that participants may receive up to 100% of their debt repaid if it falls within these new limits.
- Gives the Director of Health authority to modify how money is shared and total repayment amounts based on available funding.
- Allows the Mayor to increase maximum repayment amounts each year by rule using the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index.
Who it affects
- Certified addiction counselors working in Washington, D.C.
- Physicians and dentists who work full-time or part-time in specific medical specialties or general practice.
- Other health professionals participating in the loan repayment program.
- The Department of Health which manages contracts for this program.
Limits and unknowns
- The law expires after 225 days from when it officially takes effect.
- Actual yearly payments depend on contracts and available funding rather than just the maximum amounts listed in this bill.
- Higher payment limits for specialists only apply if they practice in Ward 7 or 8.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP)
- A District government plan that pays off student loans for health workers who agree to work in areas with few doctors or clinics, such as Health Professional Shortage Areas.
- Consumer Price Index
- A measure of how much prices change over time, used here by the Mayor to adjust loan limits each year.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Health Professional Loan Repayment Temporary Amendment Act of 2026
Official activity
Bill history
- Under Council Review