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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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A BILL
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Chairman Phil Mendelson
at the request of the Mayor
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To amend, on a temporary basis, the District of Columbia Health Professional
Recruitment Program Act of 2005 to add certified addiction counselors as health
professionals eligible to participant in the Health Professional Loan Repayment
Program ("Program"), to increase the maximum loan repayment amounts under
the Program, to clarify that the maximum loan repayment amounts are not
mandatory loan repayment amounts, and to replace the statutory annual
repayment schedule with a regulatory schedule.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
That this act may be cited as the "Health Professional Loan Repayment Temporary
Amendment Act of2026."
Sec. 2. 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.),
is amended as follows:
(a) Section 2(6) (D.C . Official Code§ 7-751.01(6)) is amended by striking the
phrase "or physician assistants" and inserting the phrase "physician assistants, or certified
addiction counselors" in its place.
(b) Section 9 (D.C . Official Code§ 7-751.08) is amended as follows:
(1) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows:
"(a) Physicians and dentists who are full-time participants in the Program shall be
eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $165,000, repaid by the
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Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each 35
such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director 36
required by section 8.”. 37
(2) Subsection (a-1) is amended to read as follows: 38
“(a-1) Physicians who are full-time participants in the Program and who 39
specialize and practice in obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, or another medical 40
specialty identified by the Director or who sub-specialize and practice in oncology, 41
cardiology, neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, nephrology, 42
endocrinology, podiatry, ophthalmology, or another medical sub-specialty identified by 43
the Director shall be eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed 44
$200,000, repaid by the Program for up to 4 years of service; provided, that the 45
participants practice in Ward 7 or 8 for the contractually required number of hours 46
for full-time service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each such participant 47
shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director required by 48
section 8.”. 49
(3) Subsection (b) is amended to read as follows: 50
“(b) Other health professionals who are full-time participants in the Program shall 51
be eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $90,000, repaid by the 52
Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each 53
such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director 54
required by section 8.”. 55
(4) Subsection (c) is repealed. 56
(5) Subsection (d) is amended to read as follows: 57
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“(d) Physicians and dentists who are part-time participants in the Program shall be 58
eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $82,000, repaid by the 59
Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each 60
such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director 61
required by section 8.”. 62
(6) Subsection (e) is amended to read as follows: 63
“(e) Physicians who are part-time participants in the Program and who specialize 64
and practice in obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, or another medical specialty 65
identified by the Director or who sub-specialize and practice in oncology, cardiology, 66
neurology, infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, nephrology, endocrinology, podiatry, 67
ophthalmology, or another medical sub-specialty identified by the Director shall be 68
eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $100,000, repaid by the 69
Program for up to 4 years of service; provided, that the participants practice in Ward 7 or 70
8 for the contractually required number of hours for part-time service. The maximum 71
annual repayment amount for each such participant shall be set forth in the contract 72
between the participant and the Director required by section 8.”. 73
(7) Subsection (f) is amended to read as follows: 74
“(f) Other health professionals who are part-time participants in the Program shall 75
be eligible to have up to 100% of their total debt, not to exceed $45,000, repaid by the 76
Program for up to 4 years of service. The maximum annual repayment amount for each 77
such participant shall be set forth in the contract between the participant and the Director 78
required by section 8.”. 79
(8) A new subsection (g) is added to read as follows: 80
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“(g)(1) The Mayor may, by rule, annually increase the maximum total loan 81
repayment amounts set forth in this subsection by the annual percentage increase in the 82
consumer price index. 83
“(2) The Mayor shall, by rule, establish the maximum percentage and 84
maximum dollar amount of a participant’s total debt that may be repaid annually. The 85
maximum annual percentage shall not exceed 30% of the participant’s total debt and the 86
maximum dollar amount shall not exceed 30% of the applicable maximum total loan 87
repayment amount.”. 88
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 89
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Chief Financial Officer as 90
the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures 91
Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-92
301.47a). 93
Sec. 4. Effective date. 94
(a) This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of 95
veto by the mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of 96
Congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home 97
Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-98
206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register. 99
(b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect. 100