Rural CRNAs offered new student loan repayment program

Some certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) can now receive student loan repayment of up to $90,000 if they agree to work in rural areas of Nebraska or areas the state has designated as having workforce shortages. The state considers 84 of its 93 counties as having a CRNA shortage.

The Nebraska Loan Repayment Program, which is facilitating this incentive, needs a 50/50 match for funding from the local employer and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, CRNAs represent more than 80% of anesthesia providers in rural counties.

Before applying for this incentive program, the qualified CRNAs must already have found a job in the rural shortage area.

“Approximately 40% of our rural family primary care providers have participated in incentive programs, which are a vital tool to recruit and retain qualified medical providers in our rural communities or provider shortage areas,” said DHHS Medical Officer Timothy Tesmer in a press release. “Our rural health incentive programs have positively impacted over 900,000 Nebraskans by ensuring our rural communities have access to compassionate and knowledgeable care.”

The Nebraska Loan Repayment Program also offers repayment incentives to other qualified primary care, dental and mental health professionals, all of which are listed as having some sort of shortages in Nebraska's rural areas. The loan relief depends on the medical profession, but anyone who wants to participate in these other incentives must agree to practice for at least three years in a rural area.