H.R. 10956: IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2026

This bill would change how some Indian Health Service (IHS) scholarship and loan repayment participants can meet their service commitments.

What it changes

• It would allow people who receive an Indian Health Scholarship to satisfy their required service by working half-time in certain approved settings, not just full-time.
• It would also change the IHS loan repayment program so participants could choose either:
  • 2 years full-time service, or
  • 4 years half-time service, or
  • 2 years half-time service with a loan repayment amount equal to 50% of what would otherwise be paid for full-time service.

Where the service can be performed

The bill keeps the basic rule that service must be in an Indian health-related setting, but it broadens the acceptable options. The service could be done:

• in the Indian Health Service itself,
• in a program run under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act,
• in a program supported under title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, or
• in certain private practices, if the Secretary determines the practice is in a shortage area and serves a substantial number of Indians.

How half-time service would work

For scholarship recipients, the bill would let half-time work count toward the service obligation, but only if the person agrees in writing to serve for twice as long as would be required for full-time service. It also says that if the person does not begin or finish the obligation, existing breach-of-contract damage rules would apply, with half-time service converted into a full-time equivalent for calculation purposes.

For loan repayment participants, half-time service would also count, and the law would treat it as a longer service period rather than a shorter one. The bill also directs that if someone does not fulfill the half-time obligation, damages would be calculated by converting the time served, or promised, into full-time equivalent terms.

Practical effect

In plain terms, the bill would give some doctors and other health professionals who owe service to IHS more flexibility. Instead of having to work full-time in an approved Indian health setting, they could choose a half-time arrangement, but they would have to work longer overall to make up for it. The bill also reduces loan repayment for some half-time participants to reflect the reduced weekly workload.

Relevant Companies

None found.