Hawaii announces first recipients of student loan payment program for health care workers
ABC News
The state has announced the first recipients of a program aimed at helping medical professionals pay off student loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to provide care in Hawaii
HONOLULU -- The state has announced the first recipients of a program aimed at helping medical professionals pay off student loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to provide care in Hawaii.
Gov. Josh Green on Friday thanked state lawmakers for providing $30 million to fund the program. An additional $5 million contribution came from Lynn and Marc Benioff to pay student loans for health care workers specifically on Hawaii island, where the Benioffs have a home, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. Marc Benioff is co-founder, chairman and CEO of Salesforce and owns Time magazine.
Green, who is also a doctor, plans to solicit similar contributions from potential benefactors to help pay off more student loans. He wants the Hawaii Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program to become a national model. The state said each of 492 health care workers will have up to $100,000 in loans paid as part of the first round of the program. Health care workers who get their loans paid off also must agree to treat 30% of patients who receive Medicaid or Medicare.
The next period of applications is scheduled to open next summer.
The first group represented Hawaii-based health care workers with outstanding student debt of more than $100,000 and as much as $500,000.
