MP-4, Part VIII, Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

13.01 GENERAL

Title 38 U.S.C. Chapter 76, established a VA Health Professionals Educational Assistance Program to assist in providing an adequate supply of specified health care professionals for VA and the nation. The program consists of:

(1) VA Health Professional Scholarship Program,

(2) VA Nurse Education Tuition Reimbursement Program, and

(3) Stipend Program for Members of the Selected Reserve.

13.02 VA HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

a. Scholarship Awards. Scholarships under this program are awarded to students receiving education or training in a health-care service such as physician, dentist, podiatrist, optometrist, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other specified health-care disciplines.

b. Contract Obligations. Contractual agreements under this program require that the trainee be a full-time student in a course of education that leads to completion of a degree in a health profession involving direct patient care or care incident to direct patient care. The trainee shall provide service in the full-time clinical practice of the person's profession as a full-time VA employee for the period of obligated service provided in the agreement.

c. Debt Collection

(1) VHA Academic Affairs. When a contractual agreement is breached, VHA Academic Affairs will determine the amount due VA and will prepare and send the first demand letter. A copy of the letter is to be sent to VACO Finance Service (047H) at the same time.

(2) VACO Finance Service (047H).

(a) VACO (047H) is to establish the debt (accounts receivable) and diary the record with the date that the debt must be paid in full. If the debt is not paid in full by the due date, normal collection action will be initiated. Specially composed followup collection letters consistent with the policy stated in paragraph 2A.02a are to be sent.

(b) Interest will be assessed from the date of the first demand letter at the current rates unless prohibited by the terms of the contract.

(d) Other collection action on these debts may include referral to the IRS for tax refund offset; reporting to CRAs, and referral for enforced collection through litigation.

(e) In those cases where repayment is not due for a year from the date of the first demand letter, (047H) should send informal reminder notices (4th and 8th month) informing the debtor of the current balance owed and the one year payment due date.

(f) Report. A report is to be provided at the end of each calendar quarter to VACO (047G7) and (143B) to arrive by the 10th workday following the end of the reporting period. Report the number and dollar amounts of the following:

1. Breached Contracts on Hand Start of Quarter

2. Amounts Collected During Quarter

3. Cases Canceled

4. Cases Suspended

5. Cases Waived

6. Breached Contracts on Hand End of Quarter

13.03 NURSE EDUCATION TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

a. Eligibility. This program reimburses tuition costs for full-time, permanent employees assigned to a VHA facility who are enrolled in accredited associate, baccalaureate, master's degree or approved doctoral programs in nursing or who are taking prerequisite courses for admission to an accredited/approved nursing program.

b. Contract Obligations. Contractual agreements under this program require that the participant be a full-time VHA employee while enrolled in courses and continue to serve as a full-time VHA employee for one year after completion of the training for which the participant received tuition reimbursement.

c. Debt Collection.

(1) VHA Academic Affairs. The Tuition Reimbursement Program (TRP) Manager at the VHA facility where the participant is employed will notify the Fiscal activity at that facility that the participant has breached the agreement and the amount of the debt incurred.

(2) Fiscal Activity

(a) The Fiscal activity is to establish the debt and send a collection letter to the debtor. A specially composed letter or the FL 4-521 may be used. The record must be diaried with the date that the debt must be paid in full. The due date is one year from the date the participant failed to maintain full-time employment at the VHA facility. If the debt is not paid in full by the due date, normal collection action will be initiated.

(b) If a participant fails to make full payment within time limit specified in the agreement, current interest and administrative costs rates will be assessed.

(c) Other collection action on these debts may include referral to the IRS for tax refund offset, reporting to CRA, and referral for enforced collection.

d. Bankruptcy. Payment obligation cannot be discharged in bankruptcy until years after the date on which payment is due.

e. Report. Academic Affairs (143B) will provide to 047G7 the number of employees and dollar amounts, for the prior Fiscal Year, for the categories noted below by the 10th workday in January of each year.

(1) Breached Agreements

(2) VA Collected Payments

(3) Obligations/Payments Suspended

(4) Obligations/Payments Waived

(5) Obligations/Payments Still Due

13.04 STIPEND PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE

a. Eligibility. An individual applying to receive assistance under this program, must:

(1) Be entitled to benefits under chapter 106 of title 10, and

(2) Score above 50th percentile on the Armed Forces Qualification Test.

b. Contract Obligations. Contractual agreements under this program require that the trainee be a full-time student in a course of education that leads to completion of a degree in a health profession involving direct patient care or care incident to direct patient care. The trainee shall provide service in the full-time clinical practice of the person's profession as a full-time VA employee for the period of obligated service provided in the agreement.

c. Amount of Assistance. The stipend amount is $400 per month for every month the individual is enrolled in a program of education or training covered by the agreement and is paid in addition to Title 10, Chapter 106 education benefits.

d. Debt Collection

(1) VHA Academic Affairs. VHA Academic Affairs will determine the amount due VA and will prepare and send first demand letter. A copy of the letter is to be sent to VACO Finance Service (047H) at the same time.

(2) VACO Finance Service (047H).

(a) VACO (047H) is to establish the debt and diary the record with the date that the debt must be paid in full. If the debt is not paid in full by the due date, normal collection action will be initiated. Specially composed followup letters consistent with the policy stated in paragraph 2A.02a are to be sent.

(b) Interest will be assessed from the date of the first demand at the current rates unless prohibited by the terms of the contract.