A key component of high quality health care is ensuring that practitioners are available to provide the care. This is especially challenging for rural areas such as many communities in Vermont.

Recognizing this challenge, Vermont’s Health Care Reform created a new loan repayment program to attract and retain health care providers working in underserved areas (specialties or geographic) or with underserved populations: the Vermont Health Care Education Loan Repayment Fund, which is administered by the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program at the University of Vermont Medical School.

In addition, health care reform increased an existing education loan forgiveness program that is administered by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) for dental hygienists and nurses, two specialties that are hard to recruit and retain in Vermont. Please contact VSAC for more information.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), FQHC look-alikes and community health centers also are core components of Vermont’s health care system. Working closely with Bi-State Primary Care Association, these important safety net providers are integrally involved with our health care reform efforts including outreach for Green Mountain Care, Blueprint for Health, pharmacy initiatives, and health information technology efforts.