No other state in the country has passed a law to address healthcare affordability in a silo like Delaware has, and that is a disservice to the residents of our state. The HB 350 law is modeled from a failed Vermont experiment that has had disastrous consequences. Vermont still has some of the highest healthcare costs in the nation while most hospitals are operating at a loss, cutting jobs and services, and several are on the verge of closing. This means less access to care for patients. The stakes are too high to be acting by a failing mandate, especially in our uniquely growing and aging state.

As DHA has said all along, we support enhanced transparency, and Delaware’s hospitals are eager to continue sharing information regarding their historic investments in our healthcare workforce, patients and communities. We look forward to the meaningful discussions that support what we all want – a healthy Delaware where everyone has access to affordable, high-quality services. We encourage the cost review board, policymakers and Delawareans to support a robust, stakeholder-driven approach that allows for the necessary context to make data-driven decisions.

Now is not the time to waste finite resources or time, particularly with recent and forthcoming federal cuts to health programs when the state will be needed to step in and fill funding gaps. The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board is now expected to cost the state more than double what was originally estimated. Yet it’s still not going to move the needle on addressing healthcare costs, or improving health access or outcomes.

To truly improve healthcare affordability and health outcomes, all sectors of the healthcare system must be involved in the solutions. Our hospitals will continue to open their doors 24/7/365, but cuts to critical health programs may mean fewer people with health coverage, less preventative care and more emergency room visits. It also means lower reimbursement for hospital providers, straining critical resources. With so many unknowns facing Delaware, we must come together to work on real solutions that address our most critical health challenges. We stand ready to work together and make the First State first in health.