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Hospitals and training programs ask revenue committee to approve tax credit for clinical preceptors
Summary
Hospitals, educators and physician assistant programs urged lawmakers to create an annual tax credit (up to $5,000) for physicians, physician assistants and nurses who precept students as a recruitment and retention tool for the health workforce.
Hospital associations, program directors and clinician-educators on Tuesday asked the Joint Committee on Revenue to establish a tax credit to incentivize healthcare professionals who serve as clinical preceptors for students.
House Bill 3,218 / Senate Bill 19-60 would create a tax credit — proposed in testimony at up to $5,000 per year — for eligible physicians, physician assistants and nurses who precept students in approved higher-education preceptorship programs. Proponents said the credit would expand clinical training capacity and help mitigate workforce shortages.
"Clinical training is the backbone of health profession education," Dr. Susan McDermott, interim program director for the Westfield State University PA program, told the committee. "Without sufficient training sites and preceptors, students cannot graduate and our communities lose desperately needed healthcare providers."
Emily Dulong, vice president of government advocacy and public policy at the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association (MHA), said the state faces a strained, burned-out healthcare workforce and that a modest financial incentive could help recruit preceptors and retain health professionals who supervise students. MHA described the proposal as part of a broader, multi-pronged workforce strategy.
Proponents said the measure is modeled on similar incentives adopted in other states and targeted at professions tied to primary care and access. No fiscal details were finalized in testimony; witnesses asked the committee to work with proponents on program design and implementation.
No committee votes were taken at the hearing. Witnesses urged a favorable report so the bill can be refined and advanced.
Why it matters: Clinical preceptors are essential to training physicians, PAs and nurses; shortages of training sites limit student slots and therefore future workforce supply.
What's next: The committee will determine whether to report the bill favorably and refine program rules with proponents.
