HELP for HIV Epidemic Loan-Repayment Introduced 

On Feb. 7, in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) introduced legislation with co-sponsors Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) that would create a new loan repayment program for HIV clinicians and dentists working in underserved areas and clinics. The HIV Epidemic Loan-Repayment Program (HELP) Act would offer up to $250,000 over five years in loan-repayment to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and dentists who provide HIV treatment in health professional shortage areas or at Ryan White Program-funded clinical sites.

HIVMA and IDSA members advocated for the development of this landmark legislation to help address a long-held priority - to reduce educational debt burden so that the pursuit of careers in HIV and infectious diseases are more financially feasible. The bill comes at a time when the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative has demonstrated the political will to scale up access to HIV care and treatment engagement with the goal of achieving a 90% reduction in new HIV infections by 2030.

Please help build support for the HELP Act and its passage by taking two minutes to ask your member of Congress to co-sponsor this critical bill.  Visit the HIVMA website to take action.