Brian Frazee is the president and CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. This statement was released following the first meeting of the Diamond State Hospital Review Board on Tuesday.
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. Recently, it was announced that 69% of Vermont’s hospitals are at risk of closing, and its House Bill 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 as ours is.
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 health care challenges. We cannot act in silos.
There are several federal policy changes forthcoming that will have a direct impact on Delaware. The likelihood of deep cuts to Medicaid and other health care programs may mean more uninsured patients in Delaware, less people seeking preventive 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 who enters our doors, 24/7/365, regardless of their ability to pay, but federal cuts and more uninsured mean lower reimbursement for hospital providers, straining critical resources.
At the same time, Delaware is facing growing health care demands as the eighth-fastest-growing state in the nation. Our hospitals and health systems — ranked No. 2 in the country for hospital quality — are expanding their workforces and facilities to meet the increasing needs of our growing population. It is the mission of Delaware’s nonprofit hospitals to provide quality and accessible care for 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 month marks the five-year anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic — a time when Delaware hospitals and health care workers demonstrated unwavering dedication to keeping patients and communities safe and healthy. The pandemic was also a time when hospitals, state officials and residents 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 health care challenges. These solutions should be collaborative, should involve all sectors of the medical 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. The Delaware Healthcare Association is committed to working with stakeholders and policymakers on regulations that will make the First State first in health.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
