Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program - IDSA

The Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program was included in the PREVENT Pandemics Act, which was enacted at the end of 2022. The pilot is included within the Public Health Loan Repayment Program. Both programs garnered bipartisan support in the U.S. House and Senate. 

Once funded, the pilot will create a new loan repayment program for infectious diseases and emergency preparedness health care professionals who work in health professional shortage areas, medically underserved communities, federal health facilities (e.g., VA clinics or medical centers) or Ryan White-funded clinics. ID and public health officials are urging Congress to provide $100 million for the Public Health Loan Repayment Program and $50 million for the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program for fiscal year 2024.  

 

Help Advance Loan Repayment for the Infectious Diseases Workforce

Contact IDSA and HIVMA staff to learn how to get involved.

Learn About the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program

Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program – Implementation Update (January 2023)
This informational brief provides background on the legislation and the need for a loan repayment program for infectious diseases and emergency preparedness health care professionals.

ID and Public Health Groups Call for Funding for ID and Public Health Loan Repayment Programs
IDSA and the National Association of County and City Health Officials led a sign-on letter urging the Administration to include $100 million for the Public Health Loan Repayment Program and $50 million for the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot in the president's budget.  

Sign-On Letter to Congressional Leadership to Advance the BIO Act
More than 900 infectious diseases professionals across the country signed this letter urging congressional leadership to advance the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program, as part of the PREVENT Pandemics Act, by the end of 2022. The pilot program would incentivize health care professionals to pursue careers in ID/HIV and practice in underserved communities through targeted loan repayment.

Multi-Organization Letter Urging Passage of the PREVENT Pandemics Act
More than 100 organizations signed this letter successfully urging Congress to enact the PREVENT Pandemics Act, including the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program.

Learn More About Bio-preparedness & Infectious Diseases Workforce Shortages

Where Is the ID in COVID-19? Annals of Internal Medicine (2020)
A national study evaluated the density of infectious diseases physicians by county and found that 208 million Americans live in counties with no or below-average ID physician coverage.  

HIV-Experienced Clinician Workforce Capacity: Urban-Rural Disparities in the Southern United States Clinical Infectious Diseases (2021)
This study found that more than 80% of counties in 14 Southern states have no HIV-experienced clinicians.

The American Society for Clinical Pathology's 2018 Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories in the United States American Journal of Clinical Pathology (2019)  
This study documented serious shortages of medical laboratory department staff across the U.S.

In the News

Protecting Rural Washington Against the Next Pandemic (2/15/2022)
Rachel Bender Ignacio, MD, MPH, discussed the importance of the BIO Preparedness Workforce Act to Washington and surrounding states in an op-ed published in The Spokesman-Review. 

Let's Talk ID: The Bolstering Infectious Outbreaks (BIO) Pre-preparedness Workforce Act (11/19/2021)
IDSA President Dan McQuillen, MD, FIDSA, discussed the importance of the bill with one of the lead House sponsors, Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA), and IDSA member Kinna Thakarar, DO, in this podcast episode.  

Energy & Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee Hearing (10/26/21)
IDSA Treasurer Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH, FIDSA, testified at a hearing detailing the importance of the bill to improve health equity in Alabama and communities across the country.

IDSA and HIVMA Support BIO Preparedness Workforce Act (10/25/2021) 
In a news release, IDSA and HIVMA urged Congress to move swiftly to advance H.R. 5602, the Bolstering Infectious Outbreaks (BIO) Preparedness Workforce Act.

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