New Georgia Preceptor Tax Incentive Program signed into law, seeking to increase number of preceptor APRNs and Physician Assistants in Georgia.

On April 25, 2019, Governor Brian P. Kemp signed into law the Preceptor Tax Incentive Program (PTIP), which replaced a tax deduction with an income tax credit for medical professionals training future healthcare providers.

The PTIP was introduced by Rep. Matt Dubnik (R-Gainesville) and co-sponsored by Rep. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), as an incentive for medical professionals to train the next generation of health care providers. The new law provides an income tax credit, as opposed to a former tax deduction, to advanced practice registered nurses, physicians and physician assistants who serve as volunteer community based faculty preceptors for Georgia-based educational programs.

“Georgia's primary care shortages are well documented, and it is imperative that the training of medical students, physician assistant students, and advanced practice registered nurse students be secured in this state as these are three key disciplines of the core primary care work force. Georgia invests heavily in the educational programs required to train and produce these students, and the Preceptor Tax Incentive Program is designed to alleviate some of the struggles faced by such programs as they seek to secure sufficient community based training sites for the education of their students,” the new law states.

Volunteer community based faculty preceptors must be registered with the state-wide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program Office at Augusta University to qualify for the tax credit.

The PTIP (courtesy of Augusta University):

• “Expands the definition of eligible preceptors to include advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants;
• Removes limitations on the types of rotations covered (e.g. beyond traditional primary care rotations);
• Implements an incentive structure so that a preceptor will earn a lesser amount for the first 3 rotations precepted, and the amount will increase for rotations 4-10.  Physicians will receive  a $500 credit for each rotation for the first 3, and $1000 each rotation for 4-10.  This would mean that a physician preceptor who provided 10 rotations would earn $8500 in tax credits for the calendar year.  An APRN or PA preceptor would earn $375 for each of the first 3 rotations, and $750 for each rotation 4-10 for a total of $6375 in a calendar year.”

We thank our partner organizations and members for their support making this happen. Special thanks to the leaders and members of Georgia’s Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (CAPRN) and the United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (UAPRN) of Georgia for their relentless organizing efforts and dedication to see the Bill become law. And great thanks to Representatives Dubnik and Hawkins for spearheading this great accomplishment.

The Act will become effective on July 1, 2019, and shall be applicable to all tax payer years beginning on or after January 1, 2019 and ending on or before December 31, 2023.

For questions about the PTIP, please contact Cindy Peloquin at (706) 721-8331 or email ptip@augusta.edu.