Legislation recently introduced by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) would cover maternity care under the National Health Service Corps program, which provides loan repayment for physicians who work in underserved areas.
Burgess, a practicing obstetrician and gynecologist for almost 30 years, and Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), a nurse and healthcare advocate for 20 years, co-authored the Improving Access to Maternity Care Act.
“This legislation will be a step in identifying areas of need and addressing these shortcomings in our healthcare system, so that American women and their families are able to get the care they need,” Burgess said. “Furthermore, as a physician, I understand the long hours and hefty loans that come with being a doctor. This legislation would ease the financial burden for hard-working physicians who have pledged to provide the best care for their patients.”
The NHSC provides loan repayment of $50,000 for two years of service from physicians and other health professionals who agree to work in areas with shortages in health professionals.
Dental, mental health and primary care are the current medical services covered under the NHSC.
“I am proud to have coauthored this important, commonsense bill because as a nurse, I know firsthand the critical importance of providing quality healthcare to women who are pregnant, especially in underserved areas,” Capps said. “This bipartisan bill would go a long way in providing access to this type of care for women and their families, while also ensuring that quality, hardworking medical care professionals caring for these families are adequately incentivized to work in these rural and urban areas that need them.”