H.R. 4681 — SPARC Act

This section establishes a new loan repayment program for specialty medicine physicians—and authorizes a separate program for non-physician specialty health care providers (limited to 15% of funds)—requiring six years of full-time service in rural U.S. communities experiencing shortages of such providers, with no more than one year between years of covered employment. For each year of service, the Secretary, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), repays 1/6 of the principal and interest on eligible loans outstanding at the start of service, with the remainder paid upon completion of the sixth year; total payments per individual may not exceed $250,000. Eligible loans include those for specialty medicine or health care education, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and other federal loans deemed appropriate by the Secretary. Participants are ineligible for loan repayment or forgiveness under this program and other specified federal programs (e.g., NHSC Loan Repayment Program) for the same service; breach provisions include a liquidated damages option but no breach solely for incomplete service if payments match completed years in good faith. Not later than five years after enactment—and biennially thereafter through FY2033—the Secretary must report to Congress on participants' practice locations and the program's impact on specialty care availability in rural shortage areas.