The Medical Society of Virginia Foundation Recognizes Seven Outstanding Physicians

Richmond, Va. (Oct. 27, 2025) –The Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) Foundation announced the winners of their annual Salute to Service Awards at their Physicians Gala on Saturday, October 25, 2025. Seven Virginia physicians are being recognized from across the Commonwealth for their outstanding service in six categories: Service to — the Profession, the Uninsured and Underinsured, by an Early Career Physician, a Medical Student or Resident Advancing Patient Safety and Quality Improvement, and Distinguished Medical School Faculty Service Award.

The premiere award, Service to the Profession, has been given to Dr. Sterling N. Ransone, Jr., MD former president of the Medical Society of Virginia and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The 2025 Winners of the MSV Foundation’s Salute to Service Awards include:

  • Kaitlin Hardy, MD, Resident PGY1, Department of Pediatrics; Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences, EVMS at Old Dominion University, Service by a Medical Student or Resident
  • Megan Powers, MD, Emergency Medicine Residency; Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences, EVMS at Old Dominion University, Service by a Medical Student or Resident
  • Dimal D. Shah, MD of Richmond, Service by an Early Career Physician
  • Laurie Archbald-Pannone of Charlottesville, Service for Advancing Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
  • Joshua Easter, MD, MBA, MSc, MHA, of University of Virginia, Service by a Distinguished Medical School Faculty Member
  • David E. Rapp, MD of Glen Allen, Service to the Uninsured and Underserved
  • Sterling N. Ransone Jr., MD of Deltaville, Service to the Profession

The MSV Foundation created the annual Salute to Service Awards in 2004 to recognize outstanding efforts of physicians, residents, and medical students who are dedicated to creating and nurturing a caring health promotion and disease prevention environment by providing service on behalf of patients everywhere.

About the Medical Society of Virginia Foundation

The MSV Foundation (MSVF) advances opportunities for physicians to participate in health improvement efforts in Virginia by supporting programs and initiatives that equip physicians to best serve themselves, their patients and their communities. For more information, visit www.msv.org/foundation.

Virginia Credit Union, Member One Partner with State Trade Group to Sponsor Financial Education and Counseling for Medical Professionals Beginning Their Careers

Virginia Credit Union and its Member One division are sponsoring a series of webinars and workshops across Virginia that will provide financial education and free financial counseling to support medical students and doctors starting their careers.

“No matter where we are on our financial journeys, one thing is true: We would all benefit from the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed financial decisions, because we’ll all face challenges,” said VACU’s Cherry Dale, Senior Vice President of Financial Education. “For many medical students and new doctors, the cost of medical school and the often substantial debt that follows are only part of the equation. There are numerous other financial hurdles, including the expense of training, limited earning potential early in their careers, and difficulty saving for retirement due to debt burdens. Through our sponsorship of the Medical Society of Virginia’s Thrive program, we’ll help provide future and current medical professionals with the education they’ll need to meet their financial challenges head-on.”

The Medical Society of Virginia’s (MSV) Thrive program offers five on-site, in-person workshops and five webinars, each designed to help medical students and professionals better navigate their financial futures.

Read more here.

Now Available: 2026 MIPS Payment Adjustment Information


The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) has released Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment adjustment information for the 2024 performance period/2026 MIPS payment year.

Your 2024 MIPS final score determines the MIPS payment adjustment you’ll receive in 2026. A positive, negative, or neutral payment adjustment will be applied to the Medicare paid amount for covered professional services furnished in 2026.

Access Your MIPS Payment Adjustment

  • Sign in to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website using the same credentials that allowed you to submit your 2024 MIPS data and check your 2024 MIPS final score. Refer to the QPP Access User Guide (ZIP, 4MB) for more information.
  • Click “View Feedback” on the home page and select your organization (Practice, Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entity, Virtual Group).
    • Practice representatives can access individual, subgroup, and group performance feedback (final scores and payment adjustments).
    • APM Entity representatives can access APM Entity-level performance feedback (final scores and payment adjustments).
    • Virtual group representatives can access virtual group-level performance feedback (final scores and payment adjustments).
    • Third party representatives can’t access final feedback or payment adjustment information.
    • If you don’t have a HARP account or QPP role, please refer to the Register for a HARP Account (re: HARP account) and Connect to an Organization (re: QPP role) documents in the QPP Access User Guide (ZIP, 4MB) and start the process now.

Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)

Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs are encouraged to identify at least one individual within your ACO who can obtain a HARP account with the Security Official role; additional individuals may request the Staff User role. ACO individuals can create and manage their HARP account and QPP access in the ACO Management System (ACO-MS).

Contact your ACO to find out how you can obtain a HARP account via ACO-MS. If you have any questions, please contact the ACO Information Center at [email protected] or 1-888-734-6433 (Option 1).

  • REMINDER: Representatives of Shared Savings Program ACO Participant Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) and practices with clinicians receiving their APM Entity’s final score won’t be able to access the APM Entity’s performance feedback unless they’ve been granted the “staff user” QPP role for the APM Entity.

Payment Adjustment and Performance Feedback Resources:

2024 Targeted Review Request Period Open Until November 14, 2025[1]

Beginning with the 2024 performance period/2026 MIPS payment year, the targeted review period closes 30 days following the release of MIPS payment adjustments (refer to 42 CFR 414.1385(a)(2)).

Who Can Request a Targeted Review?

Individual clinicians, groups, subgroups, virtual groups, APM Entities (including Shared Savings Program ACOs), designated support staff and authorized third party intermediaries may request that CMS review their MIPS final score and MIPS payment adjustment factor through a process called targeted review.

When to Request a Targeted Review

Review your MIPS performance feedback, including your MIPS final score and payment adjustment factor(s), on the Quality Payment Program website. If you believe there’s an error in the calculation of your MIPS final score or MIPS payment adjustment factor, you can request a targeted review now until November 14, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET. Be advised that our ability to respond to inquiries and resolve requests will be delayed in most cases until normal government operations resume.

Examples of circumstances that could prompt a Targeted Review:

  • Data were submitted under the wrong TIN or National Provider Identifier (NPI).
  • You have Qualifying APM Participant (QP) status and shouldn’t receive a MIPS payment adjustment.
  • Performance categories weren’t automatically reweighted even though you qualify for reweighting due to extreme and uncontrollable circumstances.

Note: This isn’t a comprehensive list of circumstances.

How to Request a Targeted Review

To access your MIPS final score, performance feedback and request a targeted review:

  • Sign in using your HARP credentials (ACO-MS credentials for Shared Savings Program ACOs); these are the same credentials that allowed you to submit your 2024 MIPS data and check your 2024 final score.
  • Click “Targeted Review” on the left-hand navigation.

CMS may require documentation to support a targeted review request, which varies by circumstance. A CMS representative will contact you about providing any specific documentation required.

  • 2024 Targeted Review User Guide (PDF, 2MB) – Reviews the process for requesting a targeted review and examples for when you would or wouldn’t request a targeted review. (We’re in the process of updating this resource with the Targeted Review deadline.)

[1] Note: The federal government shutdown doesn’t affect your ability to submit a targeted review request by the above deadline, however it may affect our response time to resolve your request.

Virginians can now get COVID shots without a prescription

In the latest change to COVID vaccine guidance, Virginia residents ages 3 and up can now receive a COVID shot without needing to have a prescription or pre-existing condition.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added the 2025-26 COVID vaccine to its list of recommended shots, which expanded access in Virginia.

Determining who is eligible for a shot has been difficult this fall. In Virginia, the requirements for obtaining a shot have changed twice since the start of September.

Read the full article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch here.

Updates to CDC Immunization Schedule


October 10, 2025

Vaccines are essential to the health of communities in Virginia. On October 6, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made minor updates to its immunization schedules, including changes to recommendations for the MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella & Varicella) and COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines have been through rigorous testing and continuous evaluations and have been demonstrated as safe and effective. These vaccines also protect those
who are unable to be vaccinated.


COVID-19

  • People aged 6 months and older can receive the COVID-19 vaccine based on individual- based decision-making with a healthcare provider, such as physicians, nurses and pharmacists.
  • Individual-based decision-making allows for immunization coverage through all payment mechanisms, including entitlement programs; however, insurance coverage should be verified before vaccination. This includes programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, and insurance plans regulated by the Affordable Care Act.
  • Pharmacists can now administer COVID-19 vaccination without a prescription to persons aged 3 years and older, now that the CDC immunization schedule includes the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine. This is pursuant to the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID–19, 12th amendment.
  • Pharmacies may have different policies about the ages of patients they will vaccinate. Encourage parents to verify the acceptable age of their local pharmacy before making appointments or visiting a pharmacy for vaccination.
  • The Virginia Board of Pharmacy has updated its statewide protocol for adults effective October 1, 2025.
  • With the CDC recommendations in place, the Virginia Commissioner’s Standing Order is no longer needed and has been revoked effective October 10, 2025.


MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella & Varicella)

  • MMRV vaccine remains FDA approved for children 12 months – 12 years.
  • Children under the age of 4 years should receive the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the varicella vaccine separately (MMR+V). The combined MMRV vaccine is no longer recommended for children under the age of 4 years.
  • Children aged 4 years and older can still receive the combined MMRV vaccine. The recommendation for this age group has not changed.
  • Per the VFC Provider Agreement, providers participating in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program are required to comply with vaccine schedules, dosages, and contraindications established by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As such, VFC providers can no longer give MMRV to children under the age of four years. Please see the VFC Provider Agreement for exceptions to this policy.
  • If providing MMRV to a child younger than 4 years of age, insurance coverage should be verified before vaccination, as it may no longer be covered.


Additional Information

  • It is strongly recommended that all Vaccines for Children (VFC) providers carry a minimal stock of COVID-19 vaccine to ensure access for this population, who may not have options to seek it elsewhere. If you have questions about the VFC program, please contact [email protected].
  • Existing Vaccine Information Statements should be used until new ones are published by the CDC.
  • All administered vaccines in Virginia must be reported to the VIIS within 7 days of administration.
  • CDC’s updated recommendations differ from recommendations from professional medical organizations. This includes:
    o American Academy of Family Physicians
    o American Academy of Pediatrics
    o American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Thank you for your partnership in keeping Virginians safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Karen Shelton, MD

State Health Commissioner

Government Shutdown: What Physicians Need to Know

Sharing on behalf of John Whyte, MD, MPH, American Medical Association, CEO and Executive Vice President

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contingency plan, during a lapse in funding, the Medicare Program will continue. CMS has sufficient funding for Medicaid to fund the first quarter of FY 2026, based on the advance appropriation provided for in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. CMS is maintaining the staff necessary to make payments to eligible states for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CMS is also continuing Federal Marketplace activities, such as eligibility verification, using Federal Marketplace user fee carryover. Other non-discretionary activities including Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC) and Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) activities are also continuing.

During the shutdown, CMS expects slowdowns or suspensions of the following agency activities: (1) health care facility survey and certification, (2) policy development and rulemaking, (3) contract oversight, (4) outreach and education, and (5) beneficiary casework. CMS retains 53% of its staff to continue essential operations, while 47% of agency staff are being furloughed (i.e., temporarily on unpaid leave). 

As discussed in our note last Friday, physicians who provide telehealth services to Medicare patients should be aware that the Medicare telehealth flexibilities lapsed for care to all patients except those being treated for mental health or substance use disorders. This means that telehealth services are limited to rural areas as they were before the COVID public health emergency and that patients cannot receive telehealth services in their homes. Note, however, physicians in certain Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations (ACOs) can continue to provide and be paid for telehealth services. In addition, the ability to provide audio-only services to Medicare patients lapsed, as did the Acute Hospital Care at Home program. 

Additionally, funding extensions for community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and teaching health centers that operate graduate medical education (GME) programs expired on Sept. 30, 2025. The 1.0 work geographic practice cost index (GPCI) floor extension expires on Oct. 1, 2025. Additional programs that were funded through the end of the previous continuing resolution and have now lapsed include: special diabetes programs; public health emergency authorities (e.g., Public Health Emergency Fund); increased inpatient hospital payment adjustment for certain low-volume hospitals; Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) program; quality measure endorsement, input, and selection; and outreach and assistance for low-income programs (e.g., area agencies on aging). 

Due to the expiration of these legislative payment provisions, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) have been instructed to implement a temporary claims hold of 10 business days. It should have minimal impact on physicians due to the 14-day payment floor. Physicians may continue to submit claims during this period, but payment will not be released until the hold is lifted. For the latest information, physicians should monitor their MAC’s website and this CMS webpage.  

In the past, Congress generally has restored lapsed policies back to the effective date of the shutdown. During the shutdown the AMA is monitoring any potential delays in Medicare claims processing or other Medicare payment problems that could result from federal staffing reductions at CMS, including during the shutdown. Physicians and medical practice staff who experience Medicare payment delays or other obstacles that could be tied to reduced staffing levels at the agency or its Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) are asked to inform AMA advocacy staff of these problems by emailing [email protected] and including the subject heading “Medicare Payment Delay.”

The AMA is in touch with senior CMS officials. We will work with them to resolve issues and circulate additional information as the situation develops.

Impact of potential government funding shutdown on Medicare telehealth

via American Medical Association | September 26, 2025

The AMA has long called for Congress to enact legislation that would: (1) permanently allow Medicare patients in every geographic area, not just patients in rural areas, to receive telehealth services by waiving the geographic restrictions in current law; and (2) permanently allow Medicare patients to receive telehealth services in their homes instead of having to go to a medical facility to receive telehealth from a distant site. To date, however, Congress has passed legislation that only temporarily waives these requirements. Most recently, in March 2025 Congress extended these telehealth flexibilities for a six-month period that ends Sept. 30, 2025.

Physicians who provide telehealth services to Medicare patients should be aware that if Congress is not able to pass legislation before Oct. 1, 2025, that extends government funding, then the current Medicare telehealth flexibilities will lapse. This means that telehealth services would be limited to rural areas as they were before the COVID public health emergency and that patients would not be able to receive telehealth services in their homes. In addition, the ability to provide audio-only services to Medicare patients would lapse, as would the Acute Hospital Care at Home program.

In past government shutdowns, whenever Congress passed legislation to reopen the government, it made the funding and policies retroactive to the effective date of the shutdown. Physician practices may want to consider adjusting their patient schedules for telehealth services, however, as neither the likelihood nor the duration of a shutdown are known.

2025 Nominating Committee Report

The Nominating Committee considered all eligible candidates for the upcoming term of office. The committee recommends the following slate for consideration by the society membership. 

MSV BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Term 2025-2026/2027 

Officers (Elected for 1-year term)

President-Elect | Art Saavedra, MD
Speaker | Michele Nedelka, MD
Vice Speaker | Atul Marathe, MD

Officer (Elected for 3-year term)

Secretary-Treasurer Steven Lewis, MD

Directors (Elected for 2-year term)

District 1 Bobbie Sperry, MD

District 3 Carolyn Burns, MD

District 3 Sidney Jones, MD

District 5 Gary Miller, MD

District 7 John Mason, MD

District 7 Karen Rheuban, MD

District 9 Jan Willcox, DO

Academic Peter Netland, MD

 

Directors (Elected for 1-year term)

MSV Foundation Lee Ouyang, MD

Resident Terry Henry, MD (VCU-Ophthalmology)

Medical Student Shawn Dziepak (VCOM)

Associate Directors (Elected for 2-year term)

District 1 Andreya Risser, MD

District 3 Joynita Nicholson, DO

District 7 Scott Just, MD

District 9 Stephen Combs, MD

Academic Nominee To Be Determined

 

Associate Directors (Elected for 1-year term)

District 5 Jacqueline Fogarty, MD

Resident Matthew Adsit, MD (VCU-Orthopedics)

Medical Student Vignesh Senthilkumar (UVA)

Virginia Delegation to the American Medical Association Term 2025-2026

Elected for a 2-year term
Delegates

Clifford Deal, MD

Sterling Ransone, MD

Alice Coombs, MD

Bhushan Pandya, MD

Cynthia Romero, MD

2025-2026 NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Elected for a 1-year term

District 1 Sterling Ransone, MD (Chair)

District 2 Cynthia Romero, MD

District 3 Tovia Smith, MD

District 5 Pradeep Pradhan, MD

District 6 Cynda Johnson, MD

District 7 Claudette Dalton, MD

District 8 Carol Shapiro, MD

District 9 Abraham Hardee, DO

District 10 Soheila Rostami, MD

Academic Carolyn Burns, MD

AMA Advisor Clifford Deal, MD

2023-2024 Former President Advisor Alice Coombs, MD

2024-2025 Former President Advisor Joel Bundy, MD

Update on COVID-19 2025–2026 Vaccines

Update from October 9, 2025

COVID SHOT CHANGE — The CDC and its panel of expert advisers quietly expanded access to Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy, undoing an earlier recommendation from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop recommending that pregnant women get the shots.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in September to recommend that adults can choose to get the Covid shot after consulting with their providers, also known as shared clinical decision-making. The panel didn’t specifically vote on whether the shot should be administered during pregnancy, yet the vote appears to encompass pregnant women, according to an update this month on the CDC website that reflects the new guidance.

That development surprised some, including legal experts.

“Covid-19 vaccine in pregnancy had been discussed initially — ACIP recommended them — then the secretary took that back,” said Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at the University of California’s law school in San Francisco.“Under these circumstances, if they were going to change the decision about pregnancy, I would have expected them to address it expressly, since it was changed expressly [by Kennedy].”

It’s unclear whether all 12 panel members, handpicked by Kennedy, were aware that the move would undo his decision. Much of the panel’s two-day September meeting in Atlanta was marked by confusion as recently appointed members struggled with the procedures. ACIP Chair Martin Kulldorff did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did a spokesperson for HHS.

Why it matters: The new guidance for adults means that pharmacies can administer the vaccine to pregnant women, and almost all insurers must cover the shots with no cost-sharing — guaranteeing expanded access for people who want to be vaccinated.

Vaccinating children under 6 months against Covid-19 isn’t recommended, so many providers see vaccination during pregnancy as a key tool for protecting vulnerable infants from the infection.

The panel’s Covid recommendation contradicts what many public health experts had expected from the September meeting. Kennedy fired all the panel’s members in June, and some new members have argued that Covid vaccines aren’t safe, spurring concerns that the panel would vote to drastically narrow access to the shots.

Update from October 8, 2025

CDC Recommends COVID-19 Vaccination After First Consulting A Clinician

The Washington Post reports the CDC on Monday “announced it had officially recommended updated coronavirus vaccines, creating a new system to get a shot that’s slightly more complicated than in previous years.” The agency “approved a federal vaccine advisory panel’s recommendation last month urging people to first consult a clinician before getting the coronavirus shot. The move marked a shift from previous CDC policy that made vaccines widely available to nearly all Americans without question or cost.” Specifically, the CDC vaccine panel “recommended the shots to people regardless of age or health conditions under the concept of ‘shared clinical decision-making,’ meaning people should first consult a medical professional.” 

        CNN reports that prior to “the finalized recommendation this year, access to Covid-19 shots has differed from state to state as pharmacies and providers navigated new federal vaccine policies.” The signoff also comes “later than usual for the fall respiratory virus season. With the recommendation, the government can finally distribute Covid-19 vaccines through its Vaccines for Children program, which provides free inoculations to about half of US children.” HHS stated it was bringing back “informed consent” ahead of vaccination. 

        NBC News notes that “prior to the CDC’s announcement, 26 states (mostly blue states with Democratic governors) had already set their own Covid shot guidance to keep access as broad as possible, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group. The result is a complex hodgepodge of Covid vaccine policies nationwide.”

Update from September 23, 2025

Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices Votes To Limit Access To COVID-19 Vaccines

The New York Times reported the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices “voted unanimously on Friday to further limit access to Covid vaccines,” recommending “that adults 65 and older receive the shots only after discussing the potential benefits and risks with a health care provider.” The panel also said that everyone between 6 months and 64 years old could get the vaccine after consulting with a provider. The two decisions “raise questions about whether Americans can continue to walk into their neighborhood pharmacies for routine vaccinations or whether in some states they will first need a doctor’s permission.” While the approved recommendations “were less restrictive than many had expected,” they will still “make it more difficult for pharmacists in some states to administer the shots to older adults.” 

        The AP reported that in addition to “declining to recommend” COVID-19 vaccines to anyone, the panel “also urged the CDC to adopt stronger language around claims of vaccine risks, despite pushback from outside medical groups who said the shots had a proven safety record from the billions of doses administered worldwide. The divided panel narrowly avoided urging states to require a prescription for the shot.” The actions come after the FDA had already “placed new restrictions on this year’s shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax, reserving them for people over 65 or younger ones who are deemed at higher risk from the virus.” 

        Reuters reported ACIP “earlier on Friday abandoned a vote that would have delayed the first hepatitis B vaccine dose for newborns, giving a temporary win to doctors, public health experts and patient advocates who had decried the move.” Meanwhile, AHIP, the insurance industry lobbying group, “said it stood by its comment earlier this week that it would cover COVID vaccines through 2026.”

Update from September 11, 2025

Below and linked here is the latest provider letter from VDH Health Commissioner, Dr. Karen Shelton. The standing order that has been put in place expands the ability for pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines to adults 18-64 years of age who do not have an underlying health condition. Underlying condition has not yet been defined. There are currently no guidelines for anyone under 18 years of age. There will be a CDC meeting held this Wednesday (9/17/25) where more guidelines will be put forth.

Please ensure that you stay current as things will continue to change. MSV will keep our news page as current as possible, but please be sure to check the Health Department site regularly as well. If you have any questions, please contact the MSV Government Affairs Team at [email protected].

Dear Colleague,

 This letter provides important updates about the 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine.

On August 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccines for adults 65 years of age and older and certain individuals under 65 years of age who have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will meet on September 18–19, 2025. It is anticipated that the ACIP will discuss recommendations for the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine and offer its recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to include its Immunization Schedule. Until then, challenges exist for patients seeking to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine from a pharmacy. Therefore, I have issued a Statewide Standing Order authorizing pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to adults consistent with FDA indication.

This statewide standing order will facilitate adults accessing the COVID-19 vaccine within pharmacies across the Commonwealth. Minors and adults between 18 and 64 who do not have an underlying condition should consult with their healthcare provider. Currently, a pharmacist may not administer a COVID-19 vaccine to these populations without a healthcare provider’s medical authorization.

Thank you for partnering with VDH to keep Virginians safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Karen Shelton, MD
State Health Commissioner

Medical Society of Virginia Partners with Highway Benefits, a Tax-Free Student Loan Repayment Benefit

Highway Benefits is a turnkey platform that helps facilitate employer student loan repayment and tuition reimbursement benefits. With Highway, companies can design and administer custom educational assistance benefit plans to contribute to their employees’ student loans tax-free. By offering student loan repayments as a benefit, companies can partner with employees in solving the $1.7T student debt crisis, help employees pay off their loans faster, and save them financial stress and money, all while gaining a valuable edge in attracting and retaining top talent.

A student loan repayment (SLR) benefit is an educational assistance benefit that allows healthcare employers to pay back a portion their employees’ student loans using tax-free dollars. Learn more about how it works through Highway.

A tax-free student loan repayment benefit can be more impactful than an equivalent raise for both employers and employees alike. As currently only 9% of companies offer this benefit, healthcare employers at the forefront of the adoption curve will gain a major advantage in attracting and retaining top talent.

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