Any healthcare provider with a current service obligation to another State or Federal loan repayment or scholarship program cannot apply for assistance from this program until the service obligation associated with the program has been completed.
Note that most federal loan forgiveness programs, i.e., PSLF or SAVE, are not considered to be a conflicting service obligation.
Healthcare providers interested in additional service -based loan repayment options may also want to consider the National Health Service Corps programs at this website: www.nhsc.hrsa.gov
UHCPW – Frequently Asked Questions
UHCPW Table of Contents
1. Program Background
2. Eligibility Criteria
3. Provider Application
4. UHCPW File Submission
5. UHCPW Reporting
1. Program Background
The Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce (UHCPW) Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health (Department) assists communities experiencing health care provider shortages by providing educational loan repayment assistance to eligible health care providers in exchange for a full-time or half-time service obligation at an eligible medical facility.
* Eligible health care providers may work less than full-time, but a minimum half-time, if they agree to double their obligation period. The minimum length of the service obligation for a full-time health care provider is two years. Health care providers who work half-time will have a four-year obligation.
For more program requirements and information, visit: Illinois Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Program (UHCWP)
The Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce program is authorized by the Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Act [110 ILCS 935]. The Act can be found here: 110 ILCS 935/ Underserved Physician Workforce Act. (ilga.gov) The program’s corresponding administrative rules (77 Illinois Administrative Code 590) can be found here: PART 590 UNDERSERVED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WORKFORCE CODE : Sections Listing (ilga.gov)
2. Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Provider Types (must be licensed in Illinois):
- Primary Care Physician (general internist, family physician, general pediatrician)
- General Surgeon
- Emergency Medical Physician
- Obstetrician
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Physician Assistant
- Chiropractor
- Anesthesiologist
Provider must accept Medicaid, Medicare, the State’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, private insurance, and self-pay.
Medical Facility must be in a designated shortage area, such as:
The medical facility where UHCPW healthcare providers serve patients must be located in a "Medically Underserved Area" or "MUA". MUA means a location designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services based on the availability of primary care physicians, demographic characteristics, and health status of the residents of a service area. MUAs can be found at: Find Shortage Areas by Address (hrsa.gov)
- An urban or rural area which is a rational area for the delivery of health services
- A population group
- A public or nonprofit private medical facility
- A government-owned, privately owned, independent, or provider-based Rural Health Clinic or hospital that accepts Medicaid, Medicare, the State’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, private insurance, and self-pay.
Eligible Medical Facility Types:
- Hospital
- State Mental Health Institution
- Public Health Center
- Outpatient Medical Facility
- Long Term Care Facility
- Community Mental Health Center
- Migrant Health Center
- Community Health Center
- State Correctional Institution
- Rural Health Clinic
Additional eligibility criteria:
- Must be a resident of Illinois
- Does not have any judgment liens arising from federal debt
- Be indebted to a governmental or commercial lending institution for educational expenses incurred in pursuit of the applicant’s degrees or diploma
- Is not excluded, suspended, or disqualified by a federal agency
- Signs a written agreement attesting to accepting repayment of health professional educational loans and agreeing to serve the applicable period of obligated service in a medical facility in a designated shortage area in Illinois
- Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
- Every provider is required to engage in the full-time or half-time clinical practice of the profession for which the provider was awarded a loan repayment contract
*"Full-time practice" for primary care providers (primary care physicians, obstetricians, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses and chiropractors) means the provider works a minimum of 40 hours per week, for a minimum of 45 weeks per year, at an approved medical facility located in a designated shortage area in Illinois. For general surgeons and emergency medicine physicians and anesthesiologists, full-time practice means working a minimum of 32 hours per week, for a minimum of 45 weeks per year, at a medical facility located in a designated shortage area in Illinois.
"Half-time practice" for primary care providers (primary care physicians, obstetricians, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses and chiropractors), means a provider works a minimum of 20 hours per week, but no more than 39 hours per week, for a minimum of 45 weeks per year, at a medical facility located in a designated shortage area in Illinois. For general surgeons, and emergency medicine physicians, and anesthesiologists, half-time practice means working a minimum of 16 hours per week but no more than 24 hours per week, for a minimum of 45 weeks per year, at a medical facility located in a designated shortage area in Illinois
No more than seven weeks (35 workdays) per year can be spent away from the practice for vacation, holidays, continuing professional education, illness, or any other reason. Absences greater than seven weeks in a service year will extend the service commitment end date. Participants must consult with IDPH if an extended absence is requested.
The work hours per week requirement can be compressed into no fewer than four days per week for full-time and two days a week for half-time recipients. Time spent “on call” status will not count toward the hourly requirement. Hours worked over the required 40 hours per week shall not be applied to any other work week.
3. Provider Application
Overview
For applicants to be considered, the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Center for Rural Health must receive an application from the provider. Providers must be employed at an approved medical facility in a designated shortage area in Illinois.
Application Process
Step 1. Download and complete the following forms, obtain signatures:
W-9 Form (W-9 instructions): Signature must be an original, inked signature. Please ensure the required information is typed including the nine-digit zip code. A link to zip codes is : ZIP Code™ Lookup | USPS.
Employment Verification Form: Signature must be an original, inked signature.
Step 2: Collect other documentation needed for your application:
Copy of current Illinois professional license
Proof of current loan balance (screenshots of online account with qualifying lender)
Verification of U.S. citizenship/U.S. national status (i.e., birth certificate)
Documentation uploaded to your application must be in PDF or JPEG format.
Step 3: Look up or ADD your employer and practice site BEFORE initiating your UHCPW application. Please note, your employer could be different than the information you furnish regarding the site where you will provide service: Employer/Practice Location
Step 4: After you have collected the required documentation and looked up or added your employer/practice location, click the PROCEED TO APPLICATION button below to submit an application. Complete the application and upload required documentation. Before submitting the application, review all the information in the application for accuracy. Click the "Submit" button.
- Upon submission, the applicant will receive a confirmation e-mail (contact the Center for Rural Health if you do not receive this e-mail within 48 hours of submitting the application). Program staff at the Center for Rural Health will begin the review process once the provider application is received. If additional information is needed, applicants will be notified via e-mail.
Ensure the e-mail address you provide in the application is correct. Communication between the Department and the applicant will be through e-mail. The Department is not responsible if an applicant provides an inaccurate e-mail address.
- If you are a current recipient of a UHCPW grant, you must submit a new, complete application to apply for a new grant award.
- When submitting an online application, providers confirm that they have read the program guidelines. The Underserved Healthcare Provider Workforce program is authorized by the Underserved Health Care Provider Workforce Act [110 ILCS 935]. The Act can be found here: (110 ILCS 935/ Underserved Physician Workforce Act. (ilga.gov) The program’s corresponding administrative rules (77 Illinois Administrative Code 590) can be found here: PART 590 UNDERSERVED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WORKFORCE CODE : Sections Listing (ilga.gov)
Contact program staff if you have submitted an application and need to make changes. Do not submit another application. Duplicate applications will not be processed.
4. UHCPW File Submission
Documentation uploaded to your application must be in PDF or JPEG format.
Providers may submit single file uploads through the File Submission interface. The required file types are listed below.
- Copy of Professional License
- Proof of Current Loan Balance
- Typed and ink-signed form W-9
- Verification of U.S. Citizenship/U.S. national status
- Signed grant agreement
- Initial and Semi-annual employment verification forms (ink signed)
- Grant Amendments (if applicable)
- When submitting a file, please include your name, contact information, and employer information. Additionally, please indicate the file type and file name that you will be uploading.
- Locate the file document you wish to submit.
- Select the file and click “Provider Files.”
- Upload the file form and click the "Submit" button.
To submit a file, click the FILE SUBMISSION button below.
Program staff at the Center for Rural Health will review each report submitted. Upon review, the provider will receive a confirmation e-mail. If additional information is needed, the provider will be notified via e-mail.
5. UHCPW Reporting
Initially, applicants must provide documentation indicating their educational loan balance, W-9 form, professional licenses, verification of U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status, and an employer verification report form.
Within 30 days of receipt of grant funds, the provider must submit documentation reflecting that the funds were applied to their educational loan balance.
Semi-annual employer verification reports submitted by the provider are required throughout the grant term.
To submit a file, click the FILE SUBMISSION button below.