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Delaware Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program (DE HCPLRP)


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Delaware offers health care providers up to $200,000 in loan forgiveness.

A state-funded program in Delaware offers medical school debt relief for primary care providers who agree to practice in underserved areas of the state for two years. The Delaware Health Care Commission (DHCC) is responsible for the administration of the program and may award education loan repayment grants to primary care providers who are within two years of graduation in specific specialties, up to $50,000 a year for a maximum of four years. Providers may apply to only one program, either this state-funded HCPLRP or the federally funded SLRP.



Why Delaware


U.S. News & World Report ranks Delaware among the top 20 states for health care, economy, infrastructure and fiscal stability. Since 2010, Delaware has been the fastest-growing state by population in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, as well as the 15th-fastest-growing state in the nation. The cost of living is low and quality of life -with beaches, state parks, greenways and tax-free shopping -is high. Learn More here



Who is Eligible


Individuals as well as hospitals, private practices and health care organizations on behalf of qualifying employees may apply. Priority consideration will be given to students who participate in the Delaware Institute of Medical Education and Research (DIMER) as well as participants in Delaware-based residency programs.



To be eligible, individuals must have

  • Completed graduate education within two years
  • U.S. citizenship authorization to work in the U.S. for the period of loan repayment or a j-1Visa.
  • Completed a residency program (for advanced-degree practitioners)


To be eligible, hospitals or practices must:

  • Accept Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP Reimbursements
  • Participate in the Department of Health and Social Services Voluntary Initiative Program (VIP), administered by the Medical Society of Delaware



  ELIGIBLE DEGREES  

      ELIGIBLE SPECIALTIES

   Doctor of Medicine (MD)
   Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
  • Family Medicine (including Osteopathic general practice)
  • Internal Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Geriatrics
  • Obstetrics/Gynecology

   Nurse Practitioner (NP)
   Physician Assistant (PA)
   Certified Nurse Midwife (CNW)
   Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
   Master of Psychology
   Licensed Psychologist
   Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
   Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health
  • Internal Medicine
  • Family Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry/Mental Health
  • Geriatrics
  • Women's Health

   Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
   Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD)
  • General Dentistry
  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Public Health Dentistry

You are ineligible if you have competing contractual obligations for health care services; federal judgment liens; breached service obligations, even if subsequently satisfied; past/present defaults for federal payment obligations or debt write-offs, uncollectable, waiver, or otherwise; convictions, admission of guilt, or disciplines issued by a certificate/licensing authority; or felony convictions.

For questions about eligibility, email DHCC@delaware.gov.



Clinician Commitment


Awarded clinicians will be asked to commit to an initial contract term of two years with the state of Delaware to receive loan repayment. Those who receive loan repayment must agree to practice in ambulatory and outpatient settings in an underserved area of need, which could include a hospital primary care practice, a private practice, a Federally Qualified Health Center, a community outpatient or mental health facility, or a free medical clinic.


Full-Time Committment Part-Time Committment
  • 40 hours per week is mandatory for full-time health care professionals.
  • A minimum of 45 weeks constitutes a full year of service - prior approval needed.
  • Compressed schedules are limited to four days per week, with no more than 12 hours of work in any 24-hour period.
  • Travel or on-call time is not included in the required work hours.
  • 20 to 39 hours per week is mandatory for part-time health professionals.
  • A minimum of 20 hours per week, prorated to FT at 40 hours per week


Application and Funding


Applicants need to submit a three (3) part application:


Award amounts are prioritized according to six criteria: geographic location, underrepresentation in medical environments, number of years residing in Delaware, graduation with an advanced degree from a Delaware-affiliated medical school and/or Delaware-based residency program, multilingual fluency, and continuing participation in the program. The priority areas are calculated based on responses submitted in the applications.



Weighted scoring metrics are tabulated to quantify award distribution per year as follows:

1-4 points 5-7 points 7-9.5
30% of maximum funding 60% of maximum funding 100% of maximum funding
$15,000 $30,000 $50,000

Applicants practicing at hospital sites are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar match by the hospital. The match must be coordinated with the DHCC. Should one or more of the health systems fail to provide matching funds within 30 calendar days of signing a valid contractual agreement, the DHCC will initiate steps to terminate the agreement.




When to Apply


The DHCC continuously accepts applications for this program. However, there are application deadlines for contracts to be issued every September and March. Additional contract start dates may be added based on funding and eligible participants.


Applications Accepted Application Deadline Anticipated Contract Start Date*
October-March March 15 May 31
April-September September 15 November 30


   

   Summary

  • Loan forgiveness up to $50,000 per year for up to four years.
  • Low cost of living and high quality of life in Delaware.
  • Must agree to practice in underserved areas of the state for two years.
  • Apply now if you have an advanced or a midlevel degree and graduated within the last two years.

HPLRP Brochure

Share this brochure with students and other potential applicants.
Download here.




    

Other Loan Repayment Programs Offered to Health Care Providers

Delaware offers several other loan repayment opportunities for health care professionals. Each program has specific advantages, varying eligibility, and award amounts depending on degree and specialty. In most cases, the programs require a term of practice in Delaware in return for loan repayment. Application to any of the programs does not guarantee funding, and applicants may participate in only one loan repayment program.

  1. State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
    SLRP is a federal program that offers loan repayment up to $200,000 for verifiable educational loans to qualified dental, behavioral/mental health, and primary care professionals. Service requirement is a minimum of two consecutive years of full-time (40 hours per week) or half-time (20 to 39 hours per week) work in federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas across Delaware. Award amounts vary depending on the health care professional's qualifications and degree.
    Learn More
  2. National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
    Learn More
  3. Conrad State 30/J-1 Visa Waiver
    Learn More
    



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