Application and Program Webinar NURSE CORPS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM (Formerly known as Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program, NELRP) Application and Program Webinar January 29, 2013

Agenda Program Overview NURSE Corps 101 NURSE Corps Participation Things to Remember Questions and Answers

Program Overview

Program Overview Purpose The NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (LRP) is a result of a National commitment to alleviate the critical shortage of nurses in the United States and U.S. territories The NURSE Corps (LRP) offers financial assistance to repay up to 85% of eligible loans leading to a degree in nursing. Professions included are: Registered Nurses (RN) including advanced practice nurses, (i.e., Nurse Practitioners) Nurse Faculty

Program Overview Basic Eligibility To be eligible for the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program, the applicant must: Be a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Have an associates degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral degree, or a diploma in nursing Have a current, full, permanent, unencumbered, unrestricted RN license valid in the state in which they are employed Have outstanding, qualified nursing education loans

Program Overview Types of Awards Initial 2-year Award: NURSE Corps participants receive a payment equal to 60% of their current, outstanding, qualifying educational loan balances incurred while pursuing education in nursing; in return for a 2-year service commitment at a Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) Continuation Award: After the completion of the initial 2-years of service qualifying NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program participants may receive an additional 25% of their original loan balance for a third year of service. All awards are subject to Federal Taxes

Program Overview

Program Overview CSF Types Critical Access Hospital Disproportionate Share Hospital Federally Qualified Health Center and Look-Alikes Indian Health Service Health Center Native Hawaiian Health Center Public Hospital Rural Health Clinic Skilled Nursing Facility State/Local Public Health and/or Human Services Department Home Health Agency Hospice Program Non-Profit, Non-Disproportionate Share Hospital Nursing Home Ambulatory Surgical Center

Program Overview Service Requirements Registered Nurses (RN) must provide full-time service, defined as working at least 32 hours per week for a minimum of 45 weeks per year, at a Critical Shortage Facility No more than 7 weeks (35 days) per service year may be spent away from facility for vacation, holidays, continuing education, illness, maternity/paternity/adoption, or any other reason.

Program Overview Service Requirements (Cont.) Nurse Faculty (NF) must work at an accredited public or private nonprofit school of nursing and provide full-time service, as defined by the school. Nurse Faculty members must work for a minimum of 9 months per service year. No more than 7 weeks (35 days) per service year may be spent away from facility for vacation, holidays, continuing education, illness, maternity/paternity/adoption, or any other reason.

Program Overview Highlights The NURSE Corps currently consist of over 2500 dedicated nursing professionals Up to 50% of funding is set aside for Nurse Practitioners Up to 20% of funding is set aside for Nurse Faculty In 2012, 86% of NURSE Corps LRP initial 2-year awards were made to nurses working at a CSF in a HPSA with a score of 14 or higher

NURSE Corps 101: 5 Steps to Award

NURSE Corps 101 Step #1: Application and Program Guidance You must read the NURSE Corps Application and Program Guidance (APG) carefully prior to starting the application for loan repayment. The APG is the comprehensive policy document for the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program with detailed instructions on how to apply and where to find resources . The APG outlines the 2013 tier and funding preferences that are applied to each application reviewed.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #2: Gather Required Documents Proof of U.S. Citizenship: Applicants must provide documentation of being a U.S. citizen (either U.S. born or naturalized), U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident (e.g., U.S. birth certificate, a copy of a certificate of citizenship or naturalization, U.S. passport ID page, or Green Card). Transcripts: Applicants must provide a transcript/diploma for each school where nursing education loans were incurred Curriculum Vitae/ Resume: Provide a document of all education, training, and degrees, and accounts for all time period/employment since the applicant’s completion of a qualifying health profession education.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #2: Gather Required Documents (Cont.) Loan Documentation: Qualifying Educational Loans include loans obtained for actual costs paid for: Tuition, fees, and other reasonable educational expenses (see Definitions) for qualifying nursing education; and Reasonable living expenses (see Definitions) incurred while enrolled in qualifying nursing education. Consolidated Loans must only include qualifying nursing loans of the applicant; if not, the entire consolidation does not qualify

NURSE Corps 101 Step #2: Gather Required Documents (Cont.) Loan Documentation (Cont.): Please Note: If submitting a Perkins loan, additional documentation must be provided showing the loan is not subject to cancellation Other Supporting Documentation Authorization to Release Information Form Authorization to Release Employment Information Form Please note: required documents may need to be scanned and uploaded to the BCRS application portal for final submission. It is highly recommended that uploaded documents be submitted in a PDF format

NURSE Corps 101 Step #3: Complete Online Application All applications must be completed and submitted online via the BCRS Application Portal at: https://programportal.hrsa.gov/extranet/application/nelrp/login.seam The application deadline is February 28, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. (EST) All required documents must be submitted via the BCRS Program Portal.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #3: Complete Online Application (Cont.) Employment Verification Initiated by applicant and sent electronically to the selected site(s) point of contact (POC) for verification. If during the application your site is not listed as an option, a request to the NURSE Corps to add your site will be initiated. Application can not be submitted until the verification has been completed by the POC. Please consider that it may take up to 5 business days or longer to have your employment verified by your site(s) POC. Please note: If you transfer during the application process; your application will be made ineligible

NURSE Corps 101 Step #3: Complete Online Application (Cont.) Upload Loan Documentation: Account Statements reflecting: Current Outstanding Balance Current Interest Rate Disbursement Report/Other Lender Documents reflecting: Type of Loan Original Loan Amount Original Loan Date Consolidation Dates (if applicable) Upload Other Supporting Documents Signed Authorization to Release Information Signed Authorization to Release Employment Information Please note: If loans are consolidated during the application process; the loans will be made ineligible

NURSE Corps 101 Step #3: Complete Online Application (Cont.) Application Submission Applicant must certify that all information submitted with application is accurate and truthful Review all information found in uploaded documents and ensure that the data submitted into the online application matches Inconsistent information within the application may lead to an applicant being deemed ineligible All applicants will be informed of their award status no later than September 30, 2013 Withdraw your Application An applicant may withdraw his/her application at any time prior to the Secretary signing the contract and remain eligible to apply for NURSE Corps LRP in the future.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #3: Complete Online Application (Cont.) Withdrawing your Application An applicant may withdraw his/her application at any time prior to the Secretary signing the contract and remain eligible to apply for NURSE Corps LRP in the future. Once the NURSE Corps contract becomes effective, the applicant is obligated to provide 2-years of full-time service at the CSF or school of nursing identified in the application.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #4: Application Review Applications submitted for the Loan Repayment Program will not be reviewed by the NURSE Corps until after February 28, 2013 Information from other sources will be used to determine eligibility (e.g. credit report, National Practitioner Data Bank and Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank) Data collected in the online application will provide an initial ranking of applications for purposes of the funding preference tiers.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #4: Application Review The NURSE Corps applies funding preferences to determine the sequential order in which qualified applicants will be considered for an award. A funding preference will be given to applicants with the greatest financial need, defined as the debt to salary ratio of the applicant is 20 percent or greater. (e.g., total qualifying educational loans divided by base annual salary) Applicants will then be grouped into funding preference tiers starting with the first tier, awards will be made in order of decreasing debt to salary ratio until funds are expended.

Funding Preference Tiers Critical Shortage Facility HPSA Score NURSE Corps 101 Step #4: Application Review: Funding Preferences for (RNs) Debt to Salary Ratio Funding Preference Tiers 20 Percent or Above Critical Access Hospital; Disproportionate Share Hospital; Federally‐Qualified Health Center and Look Alike; Indian Health Service Health Center; Public Hospital; Native Hawaiian Health Care Center; Rural Health Clinic; Skilled Nursing Facility; State or Local Public Health or Human Services Department Primary Care or Mental HPSA Score 14 or above Tier 1 Primary Care or Mental HPSA Score between 10 ‐13 Tier 2 Primary Care or Mental HPSA Score between 0 – 9 Tier 3 Ambulatory Surgical Center; Nursing Home; Home Health Agency; Hospice Program; Non‐Profit, Non‐ Disproportionate Share Hospital Primary Care or Mental HPSA Score between 0 ‐ 25 Tier 4 Critical Shortage Facility HPSA Score Type of Facilities Funding Preference

NURSE Corps 101 Step #4: Application Review: Funding Preferences for (NF) Debt to Salary Ratio Schools of Nursing Preference Tiers 20 Percent or Above Faculty teaching in schools of nursing with 50 percent of student enrollment from disadvantaged backgrounds Tier 1 All other Schools of Nursing Tier 2 *Please refer to the Program Guidance for complete list funding preferences*

NURSE Corps 101 Step #5 Selection for Award Once your application has been recommended for approval you will receive a Confirmation of Interest (COI) from the NURSE Corps The COI will require the applicants action to: Confirm all practice site(s) and loan amounts are correct Sign the NURSE Corps contract via a E-signature Submit banking information of designated financial institution Applicants will be found ineligible if they are no longer working at the site submitted with application.

NURSE Corps 101 Step #5 Selection for Award Contracts of NURSE Corps LRP award recipients will be countersigned by the Secretary of Health and Human Services or his/her designee. Please note that a contract is not effective until signed/executed by the Secretary or his/her designee. Award recipients will receive an award notice via email that will include: The NURSE Corps award letter A copy of the NURSE Corps signed contract A Payment Authorization Worksheet (PAW) Welcome packet from the BCRS Program Portal

NURSE Corps 101 Reasons for Denials Judgment liens arising from Federal debt Existing Service Obligations Defaulted on any Federal payment or service obligations Any existing Federal, State or local government debt written off as uncollectable Currently excluded, debarred, suspended, or disqualified by a Federal agency from participating in a covered transaction; Employed by a staffing or travel nurse agency Working on an ‘as-needed’ (PRN) basis Have a temporary or inactive nursing license Licensed as an LPN or vocational nurse Are self-employed Work for a for-profit facility or for-profit school of nursing

NURSE Corps 101 Reasons for Denials (Cont.): Ineligible Site: Free-standing clinics that do not qualify as a facility previously mentioned Renal dialysis centers Private practice offices Assisted living facilities Clinics in prisons and correctional facilities Private, for-profit facilities

NURSE Corps Participation

NURSE Corps Participation Award payments Payments are made monthly via an electronic fund transfer to the participant’s checking or savings account, provided during the Confirmation of Interest email. The first direct deposit is made in the month following the effective date of the contract.

NURSE Corps Participation In-Service Verifications (ISV) The NURSE Corps LRP verifies service every 6 months through with ISV through the BCRS Program Portal. Both the participant and site are both responsible for certifying the participant’s compliance or noncompliance during that 6-month period. Failure to complete the ISV may lead to a stop of payments and recommendation for default.

NURSE Corps Participation Transfers Participants may only transfer facilities after receiving an award Leaving the approved service site without prior NURSE Corp LRP approval will result in immediate suspension of payments until the transfer is complete Participants may only transfer to a facility that falls into their awarded funding tier Nurse faculty may not transfer to a CSF to work as an RN (and vice versa)

NURSE Corps Participation Continuation Award (Optional 3rd Year) Participants may be eligible for a 3rd year of loan repayment in exchange for an additional year of service at a CSF or as a faculty member at an eligible school of nursing. Third year eligibility requires the participant to remain in full compliance with the NURSE Corps policies for the duration of the initial two-year service agreement. Participants must submit an application for the 3rd year no later than 30 days prior to the end of the second service year or no later than June 30, 2013; whichever date is sooner.

NURSE Corps Participation Breaching Contracts Failure to begin or complete any service obligation may result in: Repaying all NURSE CORPS Loan Repayment Program payments received, plus interest at maximum legal prevailing rate A continuation contract will only require repayment of the 3rd year award. Disqualifies individual from receiving future awards from NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program and some other Federal programs Any indebtedness owed to the Federal government is due within 3 years of the participant’s service breach date.

NURSE Corps Participation Suspensions Provides temporary relief to a participant if he/she has short-term circumstances that make compliance impossible or reprehensible Granted on a short-term basis for the following reasons: Leave of Absence for Medical or Personal Reasons Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave Call to Active Duty from a Reserve component in the Armed Forces Waivers Permanently relieve the participant of all or part of the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program obligation

Things to Remember

Things to Remember Begin the application process early!! Read the Application and Program Guidance Have all required documents collected and complete prior to starting the online application Ensure all data submitted with the online application matches the uploaded required documents Do not change facilities/schools once the application deadline has passed Understanding the deadline to withdraw Do not Consolidate loans during review period

Things to Remember Additional Resources NURSE Corps LRP Call Center Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays), 8:00am to 8:00pm EST. GetHelp@hrsa.gov 1-800-221-9393 TTY – 1-877-897-9910 BCRS Application Portal https://programportal.hrsa.gov/extranet/application/nelrp/login.seam Application and Program Guidance http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/repayment/nursing/guidance.pdf

Things to Remember Additional Resources NURSE CORPS Loan Repayment Program Web Site: http://www.hrsa.gov/loanscholarships/repayment/nursing/ HPSA by State and County http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/ HRSA Geospatial Warehouse http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/ Quick Access Reports Find Shortage Areas HPSAs by State and County

Application Demonstration

Questions?