Speak Up: What are your thoughts about the hospital cost review board legislation?

Measures moving through the Delaware General Assembly could substantially change how hospitals in the state do business by creating the Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board. Health leaders say there is a potential loss of 4,000 jobs and millions of dollars. Do you think this legislation is being pushed through too quickly? What concerns do you have about its impact on state residents?

• Bad idea to turn the financial operation of hospitals over to politicians. How well do you think that will turn out? It will be like turning over Medicare/Medicaid and health insurance to politicians. To quote someone, “Don’t.” — Unsigned
• Not good! Lower Delaware citizens will suffer. — Unsigned
• It’s a sound good/feel good thing, but I think they’re gonna screw up. — Paul Betts
• “Democratic leaders in the General Assembly have fiercely advocated for the bill and championed the proposal as a way to control rising health care costs, provide oversight to hospital spending and ensure better care is provided to Delawareans.” As proven in education and housing, they have done the exact opposite. The current government regulations and red tape are why the health costs and care are where they are — they caused the very problem they claim they will fix. — Peter Humpton
• Got a random text message about this bill. Some rich people must not want it passed, so I am all for it. — Brian Yurkanin
• If the Democrats want to follow through with their depopulation scheme, this is one way to do it. — Warren Avis
• When has excessive government control ever benefited society? This is clearly an overreach, and the drafter(s) of this bill seemingly developed it in a vacuum, with zero input from our health care subject matter experts. Some of the legislators have utilized faulty logic by comparing Delaware to Vermont. Delaware’s patient demographics are much different than Vermont’s. Find any health care professional in Delaware who supports this bill. I have yet to find one. That should tell you everything you need to know. If passed, there is a high probability it will negatively impact health care across the entire state. Find a better solution. Kill House Bill 350! — Troy Ordiway
• The bill is ridiculous! The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services already exists to ensure safe, quality practice within reasonable cost. The problem is insurance companies demanding higher prices or denying service/reimbursement, which forces higher cost. Hospitals also regularly review budgets and services, and most are nonprofit, which means leaders are constantly looking for grants, trials and generous donations. If that wasn’t the case, most hospitals would have closed decades ago. — Nabeela Jeanne Black Swartz
• Horrible bill. Government interference at its finest. — Sandy Johnson