03/11/2025

DHA Releases Statement on First Meeting of the HB 350 Diamond State Hospital Review Board 

HB 350 is Not the Right Approach to Solve Delaware’s Healthcare Challenges

(Dover, DE – March 11, 2025) – Following the first meeting of the Diamond State Hospital Review Board on Tuesday, Delaware Healthcare Association President & CEO Brian Frazee issued the below statement.
 
“With looming federal funding cuts and changes to critical programs like Medicaid, hospitals will be needed to step in to bridge the gap and provide needed care and support for our communities. Access to high-quality and affordable care for all Delawareans is a vision we all share and now is not the time to experiment with failing Vermont policies. Just last week, it was announced that 69 percent of Vermont’s hospitals are at risk of closing and its HB 350-style board policy has had such a devastating impact that state lawmakers are calling for changes. No other state is attempting to replicate this effort,” said Frazee.
 
“As a member of the Diamond State Hospital Review Board, I am urging my fellow board members to recognize that we must take a holistic approach to addressing Delaware’s current and future healthcare challenges. We cannot act in siloes.”
 
“There are several federal policy changes forthcoming that will have a direct impact on Delaware. The likelihood of deep cuts to Medicaid and other healthcare programs may mean more uninsured patients in Delaware, less people seeking preventative care, worsening health conditions, and more relying on emergency rooms for all their health care needs.  Our nonprofit hospitals will continue to care for every person that enters our doors 24/7/365 regardless of their ability to pay, but federal cuts and more uninsured means lower reimbursement for hospital providers, straining critical resources.” 
           
“At the same time, Delaware is facing growing healthcare demands as the 6^th oldest and the 8^th fastest growing state in the nation. Delaware hospitals and health systems – ranked #2 in the nation for hospital quality – are expanding their workforces and facilities to meet the increasing health needs of our growing population. It is the mission of Delaware’s nonprofit hospitals to provide quality and accessible care for their patients and communities, and it is imperative for the HB 350 Board to recognize that this mission is vital to the health of our state.”
 
“This week marks the five-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic – a time when Delaware hospitals and healthcare workers demonstrated unwavering dedication to keeping our patients and communities safe and healthy. The pandemic was also a time when hospitals, state officials, and community members all came together with a common goal of keeping Delawareans safe and healthy.”
 
“Given the uncertainty ahead, now is the time to come together again to work on real solutions to our most critical healthcare challenges. These solutions should be collaborative, involve all sectors of the healthcare system, and should focus on health outcomes and affordability. We have an opportunity to lead the nation if we work together and avoid policies that have failed in other states. DHA is committed to working with stakeholders and policymakers on healthcare policies that will make the First State first in health.”
 
 
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 healthcare 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.