Senator Coons announces State of the Union guest Dr. Neil Hockstein, Delaware physician and health care leader

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) announced that Dr. Neil Hockstein, Chair of the Delaware Health Care Commission, will be his guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union address tonight. As the Trump administration guts Medicaid, rolls back the Affordable Care Act, and makes health care more expensive for American families, Senator Coons has invited a Delaware physician working on the front lines to lower costs and strengthen health care access up and down the First State.

"Last year's cuts to Medicaid that President Trump and Republicans forced into law will harm all Americans, especially those in rural communities whose hospitals and nursing homes are at risk of closing," said Senator Coons. "Dr. Hockstein is a crucial advocate for health care in our state working to shield rural Delawareans from some of the worst cuts in the 'Big Beautiful Bill' through his leadership of the Delaware Health Care Commission. I'm proud to bring a fighter for access to affordable health care to the State of the Union in the face of President Trump's efforts to raise the cost of health care for vulnerable Americans."

"Delawareans are sicker and finding it harder to afford health care than they were last year," said Dr. Hockstein. "Cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act mean patients are struggling to pay for health insurance. Those cuts weren't just absent compassion - they were short-sighted, too. If we don't protect our most vulnerable, it makes us all vulnerable, putting more Delawareans in emergency rooms and driving up the cost of care."

Dr. Hockstein is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon who lives in Wilmington. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Hockstein partnered with Dr. Joan Coker to launch one of the first large-scale testing initiatives at Delaware State University. Their work reduced the cost of testing kits from approximately $50 to $5, helping Delaware State reopen more quickly than many peer institutions and protecting students, faculty, and the surrounding community.

Dr. Hockstein now serves as chair of the Delaware Health Care Commission, where he leads efforts to strengthen health care access and address provider shortages across the state. In his role as chair of the commission, Dr. Hockstein is also collaborating with the governor's cabinet to oversee the funding Delaware received through the Rural Health Transformation Program and is directing it towards modernizing health care infrastructure across the state, primarily in Kent and Sussex Counties. The state was awarded $157 million in December through the program and is expected to receive upwards of $500 million.

As Senate Democrats work to reverse the harms of President Trump's health care agenda, Senator Coons has emphasized the importance of protecting affordable coverage, stabilizing insurance markets, and ensuring Delaware families can access timely, high-quality care.