CalHealthCares is now accepting applications for its new loan repayment program. The program incentivizes physicians to provide care to Medi-Cal beneficiaries by repaying educational debt up to $300,000 in exchange for a five-year service obligation. All awardees will be required to maintain a patient caseload of 30 percent or more Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Applications will be accepted through April 26, 2019, for this inaugural cycle.

The program—which aims to increase access to care for California’s 13 million Medi-Cal patients—was made possible by Proposition 56, which provided a one-time allocation of $220 million for state loan repayment programs. The California Department of Health Care Services has contracted with Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC) to administer the loan repayment program.

Awardees must:

• Have an unrestricted license and be in good standing with your licensing board (Osteopathic Medical Board of California or Medical Board of California)
• Be an active enrolled Medi-Cal provider without suspensions, disbarments or revocations; or have submitted an application to DHCS to become a Medi-Cal provider
• Have graduated from a physician residency program and/or completed a fellowship within the past five-years (on or after January 1, 2014)
• Have an existing educational loan debt incurred while pursuing a medical degree
• Not currently be participating in another loan repayment program
• Practice in California
• If awarded, maintain a patient caseload of 30% or more Medi-Cal beneficiaries

To answer any questions about the applications process, PHC is hosting several webinars that will provide an overview of the CalHealthCares requirements, deadlines and the application. Register for your choice of dates today!

• April 2, 2019, 2-3 p.m.
• April 9, 2019, 12 – 1 p.m.
• April 11, 2019, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
• April 15, 2019, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
• April 23, 2019, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

The program is also open to dentists and dental residents.

Please visit CalHealthCares.org for more information.