Important public health and ID/HIV workforce legislation introduced in Congress

Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced legislation to reauthorize the Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Programs, S. 4283. These programs, once funded, will create new loan repayment programs for public health and infectious diseases, HIV and emergency preparedness health care professionals who work in health shortage areas - providing a much-needed financial incentive to encourage individuals to pursue careers in public health and ID.

As health care becomes increasingly complex, with cancer care, organ transplants, complicated surgeries and use of certain biologics all increasing the risk of infections, the need for ID physicians is growing rapidly. But the supply is not keeping up as staggeringly high medical school debt continues to prevent many early-career physicians from pursuing ID and HIV, specialties with significantly lower compensation compared to most other medical specialties. Patients with serious infections have better outcomes and lower health care costs when they are cared for by an ID physician.

People with HIV who have access to experienced HIV clinicians have better outcomes and lower health care costs. More than 50% of new HIV cases occur in the South; this is also where HIV clinical workforce shortages are most acute.

The Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program will encourage individuals to work in state and local health departments in exchange for up to three years of student loan repayment. Similarly, the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program will incentivize health professionals to pursue careers in infectious diseases and HIV and work in health professional shortage areas, medically underserved communities or federal facilities such as Ryan White clinics, VA facilities and community health centers in exchange for up to three years of student loan repayment.

IDSA and HIVMA call on Congress to swiftly reauthorize and fund these important programs to ensure that all Americans can access infectious diseases and HIV health care services and all communities have a robust public health workforce.

About IDSA and HIVMA
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000 clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity's smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Within IDSA, the HIV Medicine Association is a community of health care professionals who advance a comprehensive and humane response to the HIV pandemic, informed by science and social justice. Visit idsociety.org and hivma.org to learn more.