03/25/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 25, 2024

Contact: Christina Crooks Bryan Cell: 302-245-1638  christina@deha.org

 
(March 25, 2024, Dover, DE) –Describing House Substitute 1 for House Bill 350 as a risky plan that would harm patient care and fail to control healthcare costs in Delaware, the Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) announced today their opposition to the “Politician-Control” bill scheduled for consideration in the Delaware House Administration Committee on Wednesday, March 27th at noon.
 
“Developing a serious plan to contain healthcare costs requires insurers, government, practitioners, labor, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies to work together,” said Brian Frazee, President & CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “To single out only the frontline workers and institutions who are delivering high-quality health care every day - the hospitals, doctors and nurses - is an irresponsible approach to public policy.”
 
Delaware’s hospitals have proven they can work collaboratively with state leaders, recently reaching a historic agreement to tax hospitals so that the state receives more than $100 million in additional federal dollars to invest in shared priorities such as behavioral health, workforce, access, and health equity.
 
The politician-controlled model contained in HS 1 for HB 350 copies the failing Vermont approach, where eleven of the fourteen hospitals operate in debt while having the nation’s fifth highest cost of care. Vermont’s quality of care has deteriorated over the years that this model has been in place. Delaware ranks third best in the nation for hospital quality whereas Vermont ranks 32^nd, according to US News and World Report.
 
“Our hospitals are an $8 billion economic engine delivering innovation and a high quality of life and care because decisions are made by community boards responding to community needs,” said Frazee. “If the decision-making of five political appointees is imposed upon hospitals and healthcare professionals, we risk meaningful harm to patients and communities.”
 
Frazee noted that a recent poll conducted by the association showed that nearly 60% of likely 2024 Delaware voters believe that our healthcare delivery system would be worse if state government- instead of local hospitals and their community boards- controlled the budgets of the First State’s hospitals. 
 
“Delaware Healthcare Association and the members we represent stand ready to work in collaboration with the General Assembly and all the key stakeholders to address Delaware’s healthcare challenges but will vigorously oppose any effort to weaken the essential healthcare system that serves the citizens of Delaware,” Frazee said.
                          
About the Delaware Healthcare Association 
The Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) was formed in 1967 and is a statewide trade and membership services organization that represents and serves hospitals, health systems, and related health care organizations in their role of providing a continuum of appropriate, cost-effective, quality care to improve the health of the people of Delaware. DHA’s mission is to provide policy and advocacy leadership in creating an excellent environment to support our members in helping every Delawarean to be as healthy as they can be.