A bipartisan bill that cleared the House of Representatives on Tuesday holds the promise of expanding access to eye care specialists in underserved areas of Delaware.
Sponsored by State Rep. Jeff Hilovsky (R-Long Neck, Oak Orchard), House Bill 260 seeks to make optometrists eligible for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program.
The initiative offers up to $200,000 in loan forgiveness to primary care providers (e.g., Doctors of Medicine, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwives, etc.), with awards of up to $50,000 per year for 4 years.
While a dozen healthcare professions are currently eligible for the program, optometrists are not on the list. Under the proposal, no more than two optometrists would be allowed to participate in the program each year.
Individuals selected to receive loan repayment must agree to practice in underserved communities in Delaware for at least two years. Practice settings could include a hospital, a private practice, a community outpatient or mental health facility, or a free medical clinic.
“As we all know, Delaware is growing older,” said Rep. Hilovsky, a retired Doctor of Optometry, as he discussed the bill on the House floor. “In the past 20 years, the 65 and older population in Sussex County has grown by 90%.”
As older citizens need more care, Rep. Hilovsky said the growth of Delaware’s senior demographic is causing delays and limiting access. “My yearly eye health exam this year is scheduled for September 2026, 17 months from my previous exam, all due to the increase in [the number of] patients,” he said. “In fact, a few doctors in my former practice have patient panels that are completely full, and they are taking no new patients. There are many practices with significant backlogs. In rural areas, like Selbyville, Delmar, Laurel, and others, it is difficult to attract new graduates…The loan repayment program is a way to incentivize the best and the brightest to locate in Delaware.”
The measure passed the House on a unanimous vote. It now heads to a Senate committee for consideration.
