IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2025

# IHS Workforce Parity Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary **What the bill would do:** This bill would change how Native American healthcare workers can repay federal support they received for their education. Currently, people who received Indian Health Service (IHS) scholarships or participated in the IHS Loan Repayment Program must work full-time in clinical healthcare positions to fulfill their service obligations. This bill would allow them to satisfy those obligations by working half-time instead, giving them more flexibility in how they structure their careers. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects Native American healthcare professionals—doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff—who received educational funding or loan repayment assistance from the Indian Health Service.

It could also indirectly benefit Native American communities served by the IHS, as the flexibility might make it easier to recruit and retain healthcare workers. **Current status:** The bill was introduced by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate. The bill addresses concerns about workforce shortages in Native American healthcare by making service obligations less burdensome for healthcare professionals.