BELLEFONTE — Health care professionals in rural Pennsylvania would be eligible for student debt relief under a bipartisan proposal aimed at addressing workforce gaps in remote communities.
Physicians, nurses, and midwives working full time at a rural hospital, health clinic, or birth center would qualify for the Rural Health Care Grant Program introduced by state Rep. Kathy Rapp (R., Warren).
In late June, Rapp called the program a “win-win” for rural health facilities and practitioners looking to pay off their loans — which can total hundreds of thousands of dollars — after the state House Health Committee unanimously sent the proposal to the full chamber for a vote.
“Ultimately, the real winners will be our rural communities,…
