Recognizing that health care providers are heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Physicians for a Healthy California (PHC) have extended the 2021 CalHealthCares deadline to give applicants an extra two weeks to complete the application process and hopefully reduce some of the stress.

The CalHealthCares program administers loan repayment on educational debt for California physicians and dentists who provide care to Medi-Cal patients, which represent one-third of Californians and half of the state’s children. 

Eligible physicians can apply for a loan repayment award of up to $300,000  in exchange for a five-year service obligation. Eligible dentists can apply for a loan repayment award of up to $300,000 in exchange for a five-year service obligation or a Practice Support Grant of up to $300,000 in exchange for a 10-year service obligation. The program is funded by Proposition 56 (2016) voter-approved, state tax revenues.

All eligible Physicians and Dentists are encouraged to apply. The 2021 CalHealthCares application cycle closes February 26, at 11:59 p.m. Interested individuals can apply on the PHC website.

Visit CalHealthCares.org for more information about the program, including application Instructions, fact sheets, infographics and awardee information from previous cycles.