The commissioner may delay or defer the reporting date, the service obligation and/or the repayment obligation incurred by a recipient due to extreme hardship, or the commissioner may defer the reporting date for a recipient who is unavailable because the recipient is completing the program of study for which a scholarship award was given. Extreme hardship includes, but is not limited to: serious illness or injury of the recipient or a member of the recipient's immediate family and other circumstances beyond the control of the recipient that would make it extremely difficult or impossible for the recipient to fulfill the service obligation or repayment requirements.

The commissioner may waive all or part of the service obligation and/or any repayment obligation incurred by a recipient because of extreme hardship.

A request for deferral or waiver shall be submitted on forms prescribed by the Department of Health. The commissioner may require that sworn statements and appropriate documentation be submitted to support the recipient's claim.

(d) The commissioner will notify the president of any service and/or repayment obligation deferrals or waivers.