Improving access to health care

Iowa needs more health care providers, especially in our rural areas. Two bills will in-crease access to health care by expanding eligibility for the Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program.

The program repays student loans for some who practice in high-need locations after at-tending Des Moines University or the University of Iowa’s College of Medicine. A maxi-mum of $200,000 is paid to-ward outstanding balances on federal Stafford loans, Gradu-ate PLUS and Perkins loans.

The Senate unanimously approved SF 2118, which will allow doctors to refinance their student loans as private loans, while remaining eligible for the repayment program. At least one Iowan who was accepted into the loan repayment pro-gram refinanced to get a better interest rate. However, private loans were not eligible for loan repayment as originally imple-mented. SF 2118, now under consideration in the House, allows this commonsense refi-nancing.

SF 2251 adds obstetrics and gynecology to the list of specializations that qualify for the Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program. Iowa’s maternal mortality rate has more than doubled in the past three years, hospital labor and delivery departments are shuttering at record speed, and 66 Iowa counties no longer have a single practicing OB/GYN. We can encourage more OB/GYNs to work in rural Iowa with this practical measure.

The bill also offers flexibil-ity, allowing doctors to qualify for loan repayment even if they work less than full time. This will help keep doctors working in the profession while giving them a better work/life balance. SF 2251 also won unanimous approval in the Senate and is under consideration in the House.

Sen. Amanda Ragan (D-Mason City) serves Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties in Senate District 27. She can be reached at 515-281-3371 or 641-424-0874. Email her at aman-da.ragan@legis.iowa.gov.