Mission Health - Buncombe County
Overview
In an effort to invest in our healthcare providers, Mission Health and the North Carolina Office of Rural Health put in extensive effort to lay the groundwork for three federal designations for several counties in our service area. We are now a recognized Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). This opens the doors for benefits such as federal and state loan forgiveness for physicians, advanced practitioners, and nurses. Along with our healthcare providers, Mission Health is committed to the health and wellbeing of our communities with the hopes that through this recruitment and retention initiative, we can boost access to healthcare in our region.
What is a HPSA?
HPSAs are designations that indicate health care provider shortages in three platforms of health: primary care, mental health, and dental health. Each platform of health will receive its own designation. Each designation is scored to show the severity of the shortage. Scores range from 0 to 25, with 25 having the greatest shortage. The maps below outline each type of HPSA that Mission Health is located in. Your employment site may have a higher HPSA score than those listed below, please reach out to HPSA Acumen, Inc. to verify the HPSA scores for specific sites.
HPSA Maps for Mission Health and Surrounding Areas
Main Hospital Address: 509 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Primary Care HPSAs – Western/Central/Eastern Regions
Mental Health HPSAs –Western/Central/Eastern Regions
Dental Health HPSAs – Western/Central/Eastern Regions
What are the benefits of a HPSA?
In an effort to boost provider recruitment and retention in these often-rural shortage areas, benefits have been established to help build healthcare access to those who need it the most. Here are the benefits available in our specific shortage designations.
Loan repayment is possible because Mission Health forged new partnerships and secured HPSAs in this region. Loan repayment is just one benefit that acknowledges you as the driving force that makes healthcare possible in our communities. Mission Health truly appreciates working with you.
Programs available to eligible Mission Health primary care and mental health providers:
Physicians – National Health Services Corps Loan Repayment Program, Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program, North Carolina Loan Repayment Program (NC LRP), North Carolina High Needs Service Bonus, North Carolina Community Practitioner Program
Advanced Practitioners – National Health Services Corps Loan Repayment Program, Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program (nurses only), Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program, North Carolina Loan Repayment Program (NC LRP), North Carolina High Needs Service Bonus, North Carolina Community Practitioner Program
Registered Nurses – Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program, Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program
Mental Health Providers – National Health Services Corps Loan Repayment Program, Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program (nurses only), Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program, North Carolina State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), North Carolina State Loan Repayment Programs (SLRP)
What do these loan repayment programs offer?
North Carolina Loan Repayment Program (NC LRP) – Primary Care Physicians and Dentists may be eligible for up to $100,000 tax-free loan repayment and Nurse Practitioners including Psychiatric, Nurse Midwives, Physicians Assistants and Dental Hygienists may be eligible for up to $60,000 tax-free loan repayment for a 4-year commitment.
High Needs Service Bonus – Physicians and Dentists may be eligible to receive a $100,000 taxable bonus and advanced practitioners may receive a $60,000 taxable bonus for a 4-year agreement to practice full-time in a rural HPSA with a score of 10 or higher. Providers must not have any student loan debt.
Community Practitioner Program – Primary care physicians, advanced practitioners, and psychiatrists may be eligible for up to $70,000 for a 5-year commitment.
Nurse Corps - Loan Repayment Program – Advanced practice nurses and registered nurses may be eligible to apply for loan repayment worth up to 85% off their student loan balance in return for working at a Critical Shortage Facility.
National Health Service Corps – Loan Repayment Program – Physicians, advanced practitioners, and mental health providers may be eligible for up to $50,000 for a 2-year service commitment at an NHSC certified site in a HPSA. One-year extension contracts are available to essentially pay off the remaining student loan balance.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) – Loan Repayment Program – Behavioral health clinicians, behavioral health paraprofessionals, and behavioral health clinical support staff may apply for loan repayment worth up to $250,000 in student loan repayment in return for working at an eligible facility providing direct treatment or recovery support of patients with or in recovery from a substance use disorder.
To find out if your address is located in this HPSA designation, please visit the following website:
https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/by-address
For more information, please contact:
HPSA Acumen’s Benefit Support Specialists are available to you:
716.483.0888 ext. 206
Email us here at [email protected]
Facility Contact Information:
Lauren Valencic, MPH
828.777.6940
[email protected]