K. SUSPENSION, WAIVER, CANCELLATION AND TERMINATION
The Secretary of Health and Human Services may suspend
or waive, in whole or in part, an NHSC LRP service or payment
obligation. Requests for suspensions and waivers are
reviewed and processed by the Legal and Compliance Office
(LCO). In addition, the Secretary may cancel or terminate
an NHSC LRP contract under very limited circumstances.
Suspension – A suspension of the NHSC LRP obligation
will be granted if compliance with the obligation by the
participant (1) is temporarily impossible or (2) would involve
a temporary extreme hardship such that enforcement of the
obligation would be unconscionable. The major categories
of suspensions are set forth below. A request for
a suspension must be submitted in writing to the
Division of Scholar and Clinician Support (DSCS)
at 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-15, Rockville, Maryland
20857, telephone 1-800-221-9393. Except as noted below,
the Legal and Compliance Office (LCO) will respond
to the clinician’s request. Periods of approved suspension
will extend a participant’s NHSC LRP service obligation
end date. All periods of time away from the approved
NHSC community site should be documented by the participant
on the 6-month service obligation verification form.
Suspensions for Medical and Personal Reasons
A suspension may be granted, for up to one year, if the
participant provides independent medical documentation of
a physical or mental health disability, or a terminal illness
of an immediate family member, that results in the participant’s
temporary inability to perform the NHSC LRP obligation.
Upon receipt of the written suspension request, the LCO
will mail the participant instructions for documenting that
request.
Maternity/Paternity Suspensions
Participants must notify the DSCS of pending maternity/paternity
leave and provide documentation from the attending clinician.
Maternity/paternity leave of 12 weeks or less should
be documented on the six-month service obligation verification
form after the DSCS has been notified. If the participant’s
maternity or paternity leave will exceed 12 weeks
during that service year, the participant must request a
suspension from the DSCS. Suspensions may be granted
based on documented medical need.
Call to Active Duty in the Armed Forces
Participants who are also reservists and are called to
active duty will be granted a suspension, for up to one
year, beginning on the activation date described in the
reservist’s call to active duty order. In addition
to the written request for a suspension, a copy of the order
to active duty must be submitted to the DSCS. The
suspension will be extended if the applicable Armed Forces
entity continues the period of active duty. The period
of active military duty will not be credited toward the
NHSC service obligation.
Waiver – A waiver of the NHSC LRP obligation will
only be granted if compliance with the obligation by the
participant (1) is permanently impossible or (2) would involve
a permanent extreme hardship such that enforcement of the
obligation would be unconscionable. A waiver
request must be submitted in writing to the Division of
Scholar and Clinician Support at 5600 Fishers Lane, Room
8-15, Rockville, Maryland 20857, telephone 1-800-221-9393.
The waiver request must specify the reason(s) the waiver
is being requested. The participant will be contacted
directly by the Legal and Compliance Office regarding the
medical and financial documentation necessary to process
the waiver request.
Cancellation – The obligation will be cancelled
in its entirety upon the death of the participant.
Termination – The Secretary may terminate an NHSC
LRP Contract awarded in FY 2009 if, no later than 45 days
before the end of this Fiscal Year (i.e., no later
than August 17, 2009), the Division of Application
and Awards (DAA) has received from the participant: 1) a
written and signed request to terminate that contract and
2) repayment of all amounts of loan repayments paid
to, or on behalf of, the participant under that contract.
**It is important to note that the August 17 deadline
is established by statute and applies to all applicants
(whether they received notification of their award prior
to or after August 17). Requests to terminate
an award after August 17th will not be
honored. For further information, contact the
DAA at 1-800-221-9393.
next page:
The Application Process
Questions? nhsc@discoverylogic.com
or 1-800-638-0824 Monday through Friday (except Federal
holidays) 8:30 am to 5 pm ET.
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