Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you all for being here today. It is my honor, actually, to get to introduce our first witness, Dr. Sandra Norby from Des Moines, Iowa.

I leave with the overwhelming encouragement that every republican and democrat work together to sponsor, to pass the REDI Act.

It is absolutely important that we support legislation such as H.R. 1554, the REDI Act.

Iowa is one of the lowest reimbursement states in the country for Medicare reimbursements.

I have seen move away because they could not afford the opportunity to come back home and have the jobs that pay well enough then to pay off the student loans.

And as a 30-year-old who is also still paying off student loans myself, first generation college grad, I grew up in rural Iowa.

Thank you. And thank you again everybody for being here today. And as a 30-year-old who is also still paying off student loans myself, first generation college grad, I grew up in rural Iowa, so much of what has been said today I hear it…

I definitely see the positive of physical therapists to be able to have some of that student loan repayment.

One of the things I would like to try to figure out here is if there are ways to incentivize folks to be able to move back to rural areas and start their careers and start their families while also paying off those student loans.

We have to note that student debt is far from the only barrier that prevents private practice for doctors today.

I would like to try to figure out here is if there are ways to incentivize folks to be able to move back to rural areas and start their careers.