Does HCA Qualify for PSLF? Here’s What You Need to Know

Updated on March 4, 2025

Quick Facts

HCA hospitals aren’t considered PSLF-eligible employers, but you still have options like IDR forgiveness, employer-based assistance, or transitioning to a PSLF-eligible job in the future.
If PSLF is your goal, you’ll need to switch to a qualifying employer—such as a nonprofit hospital or a VA facility—to start earning qualifying payments.
Some HCA facilities offer student loan assistance programs, such as tuition reimbursement or loan repayment benefits. Check with HR to see what’s available.

Does HCA Qualify for PSLF? No.

If you’re a physician working at a Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) facility or completing a residency there, you might be wondering if you qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

The short answer? HCA does not qualify for PSLF because it’s a for-profit hospital system. PSLF is only available to borrowers who work for government or nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations.

But that doesn’t mean you’re out of options.

Let’s explore why HCA doesn’t qualify and what you can do to manage your student loans if you’re training or practicing at an HCA facility.

Why HCA Doesn’t Qualify for PSLF

PSLF exists to push healthcare professionals into public service roles. To qualify, your employer must be one of the following:

A government entity (federal, state, local, or tribal)
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit
A nonprofit providing certain qualifying public services

HCA doesn’t fit these qualifications. It’s a for-profit hospital system, which means your time there won’t count toward PSLF.

That also means none of your student loan payments at HCA will go toward the 120 qualifying monthly payments PSLF requires (roughly 10 years of service under an income-driven plan).

Employer Transitions and PSLF

If you’re starting your career at HCA but want PSLF, you’re not out of luck; you just need to transition to a nonprofit or government hospital. Check our PSLF-Qualifying Hospitals list to find job opportunities.

Here’s how to set yourself up:

Get on an Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plan Now: PSLF requires you to make payments under an IDR plan (like Income-Based Repayment or Pay As You Earn). Even though HCA doesn’t qualify, starting on an IDR plan keeps your payments lower and manageable while you wait to switch to a qualifying employer.
Certify Your PSLF-Eligible Job ASAP: Once you move to a nonprofit or government hospital (like the VA), submit the official PSLF Form to the Department of Education to certify your new job. Your PSLF clock starts from your first qualifying payment with that employer.
Submit the PSLF Form Every Year: Certify your employment annually or whenever you switch jobs. This keeps track of your qualifying payments and prevents last-minute surprises.

If you spent three years at HCA for residency, none of those months would count toward PSLF. Your 10-year countdown only starts when you begin full-time work at a qualifying employer.

Related: What Jobs Qualify for PSLF?

If You’re Staying at HCA

If you plan to stay at HCA long-term, PSLF isn’t an option, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options to manage your student loans. If your student loan debt is high compared to your income, here’s what to consider:

Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)

Income-driven repayment plans cap your monthly payments based on your income and family size. While PSLF isn’t on the table at HCA, enrolling in an IDR plan can still make your payments more affordable and lead to eventual forgiveness.

20–25 Year Forgiveness: After 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments (depending on your plan and loan type), any remaining student loan balance is forgiven.
Will You Actually Reach Forgiveness? If your income grows fast enough, you might pay off your loans before hitting forgiveness. But for high-debt physicians, IDR can provide much-needed breathing room early in your career.

HCA Student Loan Assistance Programs

HCA doesn’t qualify for PSLF, but it may offer its own student loan repayment benefits. Some facilities provide HCA tuition reimbursement, direct loan payment assistance, or HCA loan forgiveness.

These HCA student loan assistance programs vary by location and role and usually come with eligibility requirements and service commitments, so check with your HR department for details.

Other Forgiveness and Repayment Assistance Options

Public Service Loan Forgiveness isn’t the only way to get student loan relief. There are other student loan forgiveness programs that you could qualify for.

If you work in healthcare, other federal and state programs can help—especially if you’re in a high-need specialty or underserved area. Here are a few worth exploring:

National Health Service Corps (NHSC): The National Health Service Corps offers NHSC loan repayment programs to physicians, mental health professionals, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, and other clinicians who work in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).
State-Based Loan Repayment Programs: Many states offer loan repayment help for doctors practicing in rural or underserved areas. Depending on your specialty and location, you could get tens of thousands of dollars in assistance—sometimes more than PSLF.
Medical School Loan Forgiveness Programs: Some medical schools offer their own scholarships or loan forgiveness programs for graduates who go into specific fields. Check with your financial aid office or alumni network—they often have leads on programs that aren’t widely advertised.
NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs): If you conduct biomedical or behavioral research, NIH Loan Repayment Programs can repay up to $50,000 per year of your student loans. These programs are available to researchers in academia, government, and non-profit institutions.

Next Steps

If PSLF isn’t an option for you at HCA, here’s what you can do to manage your student loans and explore other relief options:

Check Your Loan Type: PSLF only works with direct loans (i.e., direct federal loan, direct consolidation loan). If you have older loans (like FFEL), you may need to consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan to access better repayment and forgiveness options.
Consider an IDR Plan: Even without PSLF, an IDR plan can lower your monthly payments for your federal student loan debt. And if you later switch to a nonprofit or government employer, you’ll already be on track for PSLF. Just certify your new job when you make the transition.
Explore Loan Repayment Assistance Programs: State and federal programs offer loan repayment help based on your specialty and location. Even if PSLF isn’t an option now, you could still qualify for partial forgiveness or a stipend to reduce your debt.
Check for Employer-Specific Benefits: Some HCA facilities offer student loan assistance—but programs vary by location. Ask HR if your hospital provides loan repayment perks or tuition reimbursement. These programs also don’t usually apply to private student loans.
Plan for PSLF-Eligible Employment: If PSLF is your goal, think ahead. After your HCA residency, moving to a VA hospital or nonprofit hospital gets you back on track to start making qualifying payments toward loan forgiveness.

Bottom Line

HCA may not qualify for PSLF, but you still have options. Student loan forgiveness for healthcare workers in HCAs might be harder but not at all impossible.

Some physicians use their HCA residency to gain experience before moving to a nonprofit or government hospital to start the PSLF clock. Others stick with income-driven repayment plans to keep payments low or explore state and federal repayment assistance programs for partial forgiveness.

Your best path depends on your career goals, where you practice, and how much student debt you have. The key is knowing your options so you can make a strategic plan to clear your student loans.

Book a call with our student loan expert to get a clear, customized plan to tackle your loans. We help borrowers maximize PSLF eligibility and avoid costly mistakes.

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