Gov. Kim Reynolds, in partnership with the Iowa Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, has opened applications for the new Health Care Professional Incentive Program. The program is designed to address workforce shortages by offering financial awards to eligible health care professionals who commit to working in high-demand fields within 36 designated counties across Iowa.
The state has allocated nearly $8 million for the first year of this initiative. “This initial $8 million state investment is a critical step in strengthening our health care provider pipeline and ensuring rural communities, which are home to nearly half of all Iowans, have access to high-quality health care services,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “The new Health Care Professional Incentive Program supports our rural communities in improving access and quality care for residents while also easing the financial burden for individuals pursuing these essential, high-need health care careers.”
The program was established by House File 972, a bill proposed by Gov. Reynolds and signed into law in May 2025. It provides financial incentives to medical professionals who agree to work full-time in eligible counties for up to five years or part-time for up to seven years. The application deadline is March 31.
Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow commented on the significance of the effort: “A strong health care workforce pipeline is essential to thriving communities, and the new Health Care Professional Incentive Program launched today will better support participating professionals with income bonuses or federal loan repayment as they care for Iowans,” she said. “This modernized $8 million state investment helps prepare, recruit, and retain professionals in communities most in need of great providers, improving access and quality of care for all Iowans.”
Eligible occupations identified with input from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services include advanced registered nurse practitioners, licensed professional counselors, nurse educators, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physician assistants, physicians, registered nurses, and social workers specializing in mental health counseling.
Applicants must be licensed and employed in one of the following counties: Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Benton, Buena Vista, Butler, Carroll, Cedar, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clayton, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Iowa (county), Keokuk (county), Lucas (county), Lyon (county), Madison (county), Mills (county), O’Brien (county), Osceola (county), Pocahontas (county), Ringgold (county), Tama (county), Taylor (county), Wayne (county), Winnebago (county) or Worth (county).
“Attracting and retaining primary care physicians, nurses, licensed professional counselors and other vital health care professionals in our rural communities will significantly impact the ability of Iowans to access the care they need,” said Iowa Health and Human Services Director Larry Johnson. “Through this state investment we can help ensure rural populations have access to quality health care in their local communities improving the health outcomes of Iowans.”
Award recipients may choose between an income bonus or federal student loan payment as their incentive. Full-time awardees receive portions of their award annually over five years—25% after year one; 15% after years two through four; 35% upon completion of year five—while part-time participants can receive prorated payouts over seven years.
This new program consolidates five previous incentive programs into a single streamlined effort. Applicants must not have previously received funding from any prior state incentive program such as the Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program or Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program.
Further details about eligibility criteria and application procedures are available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website.
According to information from the official website, Governor Reynolds provides statewide leadership from her office at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines alongside Lieutenant Governor Cournoyer. The governor’s responsibilities include supporting public initiatives like food assistance programs and forming task forces addressing national events that benefit residents throughout Iowa.
