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Delaware Insurance Rankings and News
Employer health insurance is the most common type of health insurance in Delaware, covering 59% of the population. Medicaid covers 10% of the population and Medicare covers 14%. Twelve percent of people in Delaware have no health insurance.
Delaware offers no high risk pool insurance for people whose medical conditions exclude them from obtaining private insurance. There is no limit on the premiums that can be charged to HIPAA eligible individuals. However Senate Bill 37, currently being considered by the Delaware legislature, would allow the Department of Insurance to regulate health insurance rates.
Minors, pregnant women, and disabled persons who meet strict income guidelines may qualify for Medicaid.
Uninsured minors who do not meet the stringent income guidelines for Medicaid may qualify for the Delaware Healthy Children Program, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Recent Delaware Legislation
In January 2008, Insurance Commissioner Matthew Denn announced an agenda geared towards making health insurance more accessible and affordable. Bills of special interest to him include Senate Bill 6 which would create a statewide health insurance purchasing pool, Senate Bill 58 which would regulate so-called “medical discount” plans, House Bill 267 which would allow disabled citizens between the ages of 18 and 64 to purchase Medi-Gap insurance, and House Bill 286 which would utilize free and reduced price school lunch information to identify children who might be eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.
Health Summary and Rankings for Delaware
Delaware scores well in preventative health care with relatively high numbers of diabetics reporting that they received flu shots and regular foot exams, and a relatively high number of women over the age of forty reporting that they had received mammograms within the past two years.
An area in Delaware’s healthcare system that has potential for improvement and growth, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is home health care. Compared to other states, home health care patients in Delaware were less likely to report improved mobility or improved ability to bathe themselves. Delaware also has a high infant mortality rate compared to other states.
