The Health Care Professional Incentive Program (HCPIP) was established to recruit and retain health care professionals in high-need areas in Iowa. The program provides an award to individuals who agree to practice in specified locations for up to five full-time years. Eligible health care professionals can elect to receive the award as an income bonus or as a federal student loan payment. The award is paid at the end of each successive year of qualifying employment.
Eligible Health Care Professions
Because HF972 establishes a new program consolidating and expanding upon several programs previously administered by two state agencies, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission is interested in and welcomes public comment and feedback, specifically regarding methods and data sources that could be used in the longer-term to inform the list of eligible health care occupations and relative need amongst those health care occupations.
Direct written comments to grants.iowacollegeaid@iowa.gov with the subject of βHealth Care Professional Incentive Program.β
Eligibility Criteria
- Be licensed to practice and employed in an eligible health care profession and eligible practice area within 6 months of signing a program agreement
- Practice in a high-need community for five years.
- Cannot have received funding under any of the following programs:
- Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (administered by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services),
- Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program (administered by the Iowa Department of Education),
Health Care Professional Recruitment Program (administered by the Iowa Department of Education), - Health Care Award Program (administered by the Iowa Department of Education),
- Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (administered by the Iowa Department of Education).
Award Amount
The maximum award amounts for each eligible health care profession will be published on this page on or before September 1, 2025. Awards are payable in annual installments at the end of each year of qualifying employment. An eligible health care professional can receive 25% of the maximum award after completing the first year of qualified employment; 15% of the maximum award per year upon completion of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year of qualified employment, respectively; and 35% of the maximum award upon completion of the 5th year of qualified employment. The eligible health care profession elects to receive the award as an income bonus or federal student loan repayment. Income bonus payments to individuals are considered taxable income and the State of Iowa will issue a 1099 MISC for tax filing purposes. Details on the taxability of loan repayment benefits can be found on the IRS website.
Eligible Health Care Professions
Eligible health care professions will be published prior to January 2026.
Eligible Geographic Practice Areas
Eligible geographic practice areas will be published prior to January 2026.
How to Apply
The application will be available in January 2026.
Important Dates
Feb. 28, 2026: Date applications must be submitted by to guarantee consideration.