hospital monitor

Hospital board bill could hurt extra $100 million for Medicaid

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

If a bill establishing a state board to oversee hospital budgets passes as is, it could alter or kill the deal cut with those hospitals to pay a provider tax unlocking another $100 million for Delaware’s Medicaid program. Brian Frazee, president of the Delaware Healthcare Association, warned the House Appropriations Committee that the requirement in House Bill 350 to immediately …

insurance

State worker health insurance to rise 22%, add $50M cost

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

The state of Delaware will need at least an additional $50 million dollars in fiscal 2025 to pay for increases in the cost of employee health insurance, which is expected to see premium rises of up to 22%. Ruth Ann Miller, controller general, said the program will have a shortfall of $15 million by April 1 and will need $22 …

The year's biggest data breach involves software called MOVEit. M&T Bank is one of the companies affected. (Towfiqu photo from Unsplash)

M&T among 1,000 places hit so far in huge data breach

Ken MammarellaBusiness, Headlines

The biggest security breach of the year has affected 60 million people so far, including customers of Delaware’s biggest bank, M&T Bank. The hack dates back to the end of May, TechCrunch said, with experts saying that the hackers knew about the vulnerability in the MOVEit software as far back as 2021. Cl0p, a ransomware group linked to Russia, claimed …

The special Medicfill plan for Delaware’s retirees has been extended another six months. (National Cancer Institute photo from Unsplash)

State retirees’ health plan extended to June, 2024

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

Medicfill for Delaware’s retirees will remain in place until June 30, 2024, with rates to be determined in May, a key committee decided unanimously on Monday. The special plan covers retired state employees. The state’s controversial idea to move them into Medicare Advantage was stopped by suit last fall from a group called Retirees Investing in Social Equity Delaware. The …

House Bill 80 requires doula services to be covered by Medicaid starting Jan. 1. (Nagakan Aka photo from Pexels)

Bill calls for Medicaid to reimburse doula services

Sam HautHeadlines, Government

House Majority Whip Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown is back with another bill on requiring Medicaid to pay for doulas. Doulas provide physical and emotional support while a woman is giving birth. House Bill 80, which requires doula services to be covered by Medicaid starting Jan. 1, has 15 other sponsors: 14 Democrats and Republican Sen. Bryant Richardson, R-Laurel. House Bill 343, sponsored …

McGuiness

Judge sides with Auditor McGuiness in Medicaid standoff

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services must hand over Medicaid records to State Auditor Kathy McGuiness, a Superior Court judge ruled this week. For nearly two years, McGuiness has been seeking access to the information, which she says her office needs to determine whether DHSS’s Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance is complying with federal and state requirements. …