The new Claymont Transportation Center was dedicated today as the Harris B. McDowell, III Transportation Center and full service will begin on Monday, December 4, 2023.

Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski was joined by Delaware Transit Corporation CEO John Sisson, Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, the U.S. congressional delegation and numerous federal, state, and local officials to mark the completion of the new $90 million transportation center.

“The opening of the Harris B. McDowell III Transportation Center is a major milestone in the continued economic redevelopment of Claymont and will serve as an important gateway for residents, businesses, and visitors to Delaware,” said Governor John Carney. “As a proud Claymont native, I couldn’t be more pleased to help celebrate the completion of this project, and I want to thank our team at DelDOT for their hard work.”

In 2016, Delaware’s Congressional Delegation of U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and then-Congressman John Carney helped secure a $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the construction of the station.

“The new Claymont rail station is proof of what is possible when local communities work with the state and federal government to bring our infrastructure into the 21st century and support economic development,” said Senators Carper and Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. “After the closing of the former Evraz steel mill, Delaware rallied behind the Claymont community to help turn economic adversity into an opportunity for redevelopment and job creation. Today, we are celebrating an important step forward in Claymont’s revitalization through the opening of this modern and accessible train station.”

“This was an incredibly complex project many years in the making, and from the beginning hundreds of people from multiple agencies have been involved in this effort with the singular goal of providing Claymont with a first-class transportation center we can all be proud of,” said Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski.

John Sisson, CEO of the Delaware Transit Corporation added, “Anyone that has utilized the former Claymont Station knows how challenging it was to catch a train. The design of the new transportation center focused on the user experience, making public transit an easy, convenient, and smart choice.”

The new center, boasting over 800 parking spaces including 13 EV charging stations, two ADA-compliant high-level covered platforms with wind screens, benches and USB charging ports, bicycle racks and repair stations, real-time passenger information displays, and vending machines, opens for SEPTA train and DART and SEPTA bus service on Monday, December 4, 2023.

In October 2022, Governor Carney signed legislation sponsored by State Senator Sarah McBride and State Representative Debra Heffernan to formally name the new Claymont Transportation Center in honor of Senator Harris B. McDowell, III, who represented the First Senate District from 1976 until 2021, becoming the longest-serving member in the history of the Delaware General Assembly.

Information on SEPTA service to Claymont and other Delaware locations can be found here. 

Los residentes de Delaware encontrarán más opciones en aseguradoras y planes, y subsidios federales incrementados continuos para ayudar con la asequibilidad; la registración se extiende hasta el 15 de Enero del 2023

NEW CASTLE (1º de Noviembre, 2022) – Saliendo de un año con sin precedentes por la inscripción en el Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware, los residentes de Delaware buscando cobertura para el 2023 encontrarán más opciones de aseguradoras y planes que antes visto, y seguirán encontrando subsidios federales mejorados, lo cual empezó el año anterior bajo la administración de Biden. Los subsidios han ayudado a reducir el costo del consumidor de hasta un 40%.

El décimo periodo de inscripción abierta comenzó hoy, 1º de Noviembre y termina el 15 de Enero del 2023 en www.CuidadoDeSalud.gov, donde los consumidores pueden renovar cobertura existente o inscribirse en un nuevo plan. La cobertura para miembros que se inscriban antes del 15 de Diciembre y paguen la prima del primer mes entrará en vigencia el 1º de Enero.

Los individuos que no actúen antes del 15 de Enero de 2023 no podrán obtener cobertura para 2023 al menos que califiquen para un Período de Inscripción Especial basado en circunstancias como la pérdida de cobertura médica calificada, cambio de ingresos, volverse un padre u otros factores calificantes.

Este año, los residentes de Delaware tendrán de tres aseguradoras para elegir versus solo una el año pasado y un total de 30 planes, el total más alto en los 10 años del mercado. El Comisionado de Seguros, Trinidad Navarro, anunció en Junio que dos nuevas aseguradoras, AmeriHealth Caritas (cuatro planes) y Aetna CVS Health (nueve planes), se unirían a Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware (17 opciones de planes) para ofrecer cobertura en el mercado para 2023. En septiembre, el Comisionado Navarro anunció que las tarifas de Highmark aumentarían un 5.5% en promedio.

La estabilidad general del Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware refleja la aprobación federal continua del programa de reaseguros de Delaware. El programa ha reducido las primas de seguro médico para los planes vendidos en el mercado de seguros individuales al reembolsar parcialmente a las aseguradoras los reclamos de atención médica de alto costo a través de un fondo que utiliza una combinación de fondos federales y evaluaciones recaudadas por el Departamento de Seguros de Delaware de los portadores de seguros médicos. Debido a que los costos de reclamos de las aseguradoras son más bajos, las aseguradoras pueden reducir el costo de las primas o limitar los aumentos.

Durante la inscripción abierta del año pasado, un total de 32,113 residentes de Delaware se inscribieron para la cobertura de 2022 en el Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware, un aumento del 26.8% del año anterior.

“Todas las familias de Delaware necesitan acceso a atención médica de calidad asequible,” dijo el Gobernador John Carney. “Hay más planes para elegir este año, lo que ayudará a que la cobertura sea aún más asequible. Animo a todos los residentes de Delaware a mirar sus opciones, especialmente a los propietarios de pequeñas empresas, contratistas independientes y personas que no tienen acceso a un seguro médico a través de un empleador. Es importante que prioricemos nuestra salud.”

En 2021, la administración de Biden hizo que la expansión al acceso a seguro médico y la asequibilidad una prioridad a través de la Ley del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense, que aumentó los créditos fiscales y expandió los subsidios hacia la clase media. Este año, la aprobación de la Ley para la Reducción de la Inflación continuó con esos beneficios incrementados hasta 2025. Por ejemplo, una familia de cuatro (ambos padres de 40 años) que ganan $50,000 son elegibles para un crédito de aproximadamente $16,000, en comparación con los $14,300 anteriores.

Adicionalmente, el gobierno federal cambió a principios de este mes la forma en que se determina la asequibilidad de la cobertura del empleador para los miembros de la familia de un empleado, el llamado “fallo familiar.” A partir del 2023, los familiares de una persona a la que se les ofrece cobertura basada en el empleador que es “asequible” solo para el empleado y no para toda la familia, pueden ser elegibles para créditos fiscales por primera vez en el mercado. Este cambio ayudará a más consumidores a calificar para créditos fiscales y reducciones de costos compartidos a través de un plan de mercado.

Los créditos fiscales federales están disponibles para aquellos cuyos ingresos familiares se encuentran entre el 138% y el 400% del nivel federal de pobreza. Para la cobertura de 2023, eso es entre $18,754 y $54,360 para una persona, o entre $38,295 y $111,000 para una familia de cuatro. Para la cobertura en el 2022, alrededor del 89% de los afiliados en Delaware eran elegibles para créditos fiscales, lo que ayuda a reducir el costo de la prima mensual.

Los planes en el mercado se distribuyen entre categorías de nivel de metales (bronce, plata, oro, platino y catastrófico – y se basan en cómo los afiliados eligen dividir los costos de cuidado con su compañía de seguros. Los planes bronce tienen primas mensuales bajas pero altos costos cuando necesita atención; los planes dorados tienen primas altas, pero costos más bajos cuando necesita atención. En un plan plata, la aseguradora paga alrededor del 70% de los costos médicos y el consumidor paga alrededor del 30%. Los consumidores que eligen planes de atención médica plata también pueden calificar para ahorros adicionales a través de descuentos en deducibles, copagos y coaseguros. En Delaware, alrededor del 23% de los afiliados actuales califican para reducciones de costos compartidos. Para cualquier plan del mercado en 2023, los consumidores individuales no pueden pagar más de $9,100 en gastos médicos de bolsillo y las familias no pueden pagar más de $18,200.

Para 2023:

• Highmark ofrecerá 17 planes para individuos: tres planes de platino, seis de oro, tres de plata, cuatro de bronce y uno catastrófico.
• Aetna CVS Health ofrecerá nueve planes: dos de oro, cuatro de plata y tres de bronce.
• AmeriHealth Caritas ofrecerá cuatro planes: uno dorado, uno plateado y dos bronce.
• Dos aseguradoras dentales, Delta Dental of Delaware, Inc. y Dominion Dental Services, Inc. – ofrecerán un total de 13 planes dentales independientes en el mercado, siete con un nivel actuarial bajo (paga menos mensualmente, pero más cuando obtienes servicios dentales) y seis con un nivel actuarial alto (paga más mensualmente, pero menos cuando recibes atención dental).

Todos los planes ofrecen beneficios esenciales de salud, como cobertura de condiciones preexistentes, atención ambulatoria, servicios de emergencia, hospitalización, recetas medicas, servicios de salud mental y trastornos por uso de sustancias, servicios de laboratorio, servicios pediátricos, control de la natalidad y cobertura de lactancia, y vacunas de COVID-19, incluido el nuevo refuerzo bivalente. Además, la cobertura no puede cancelarse debido a un cambio en el estado de salud, incluyendo el diagnóstico o tratamiento de COVID-19.

“A medida que ingresamos al décimo año de inscripción abierta del Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware, estamos agradecidos por el importante papel que desempeñan los planes del mercado para mejorar el acceso a una atención médica asequible y de alta calidad,” dijo la Secretaria del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales Molly Magarik. “Y apreciamos la estabilidad que la administración Biden, nuestra delegación del congreso, el Comisionado de Seguros y que nuestro propio programa de reaseguro han aportado al mercado. Urgimos a todos a que vuelvan a mirar la asequibilidad de los planes en el Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware y vean cómo la cobertura puede encajar en el presupuesto de su familia.”

“El Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware es más exitoso que nunca con tasas constantes, subsidios mejorados y la inscripción en su punto más alto,” dijo el Comisionado de Seguros Trinidad Navarro. “Estoy muy orgulloso de que, de cara al 2023, los consumidores también se beneficiarán de la mayor competencia que ha visto nuestro estado, con tres aseguradoras y 30 opciones de planes para elegir”.

Asistencia para afiliados Delaware

Los consumidores pueden ir a HealthCare.gov o a CuidadodeSalud.gov ahora para explorar sus opciones para la cobertura del 2023, y se pueden inscribir en cualquier momentos desde el 1º de Noviembre hasta el 15 de Enero, 2023.

Los residentes de Delaware que necesiten ayuda inscribiéndose en cobertura tendrán acceso a asistencia en persona gratuita financiados con fondos federales por especialistas capacitados Westside Family Healthcare (en todo el estado) y Quality Insights, Inc., (condados de New Castle y Sussex) y por asesores de solicitud certificados en Henrietta Johnson Medical Center en Wilmington y La Red Health Center en Georgetown. Westside y Quality Insights recibieron cada uno más fondos federales para navegadores para ayudar a las personas a inscribirse en la cobertura.
Agentes e intermediarios de seguros con licencia estatal también están disponibles para ayudar a individuos para volver a inscribirse y ayudar a los empleadores a actualizar su cobertura, sin cargo adicional.

Para más información, visite www.ChooseHealthDE.com. Puede inscribirse en la cobertura del mercado en CuidadodeSalud.gov o llamando al 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).

De acuerdo con el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU. (HHS):

• Alrededor del 89% de los inscritos en el mercado de Delaware recibieron asistencia financiera en 2022 para ayudarlos a pagar sus primas mensuales y/o deducibles y copagos.
• La prima mensual promedio general en Delaware es de $706, con una prima promedio reducida a $169 por mes después del crédito fiscal. Para el 89% de los residentes de Delaware que recibieron asistencia financiera, la prima promedio después del crédito fiscal es de $114 por mes.
• Entre las 32,113 personas que se inscribieron durante la inscripción abierta del año pasado, alrededor del 78% eran reinscritos y el 22% eran nuevos inscritos.
• Ayuda financiera está disponible para individuos con ingresos anuales de hasta $54,360; para una familia de cuatro, el límite de ingresos es de $111,000.
• Aproximadamente el 62% de los miembros de Delaware se inscribieron durante las tres semanas anteriores al 15 de diciembre de 2021.

Apoyo de la Delegación del Congreso

Los senadores y representantes de EEUU de Delaware urgieron a los residentes de Delaware que no tienen seguro a averiguar qué hay disponible para ellos en el mercado.

“Estoy orgulloso que pudimos extender los subsidios de la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA) y hacer que el seguro médico sea más asequible para los Estadounidenses hasta 2025 con la aprobación de la Ley para la Reducción de la Inflación,” dijo el Senador Americano Tom Carper. “Ahora en su décimo año, el mercado es más asequible que nunca y los residentes de Delaware tienen más opciones que antes. ¡Animo a todos a visitar CuidadodeSalud.gov o buscar ayuda gratuita con nuestros muchos navegadores de seguros de salud y obtener cobertura sin demora!”

“A medida que avanzamos al décimo año de inscripción abierta, está claro que la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio ha permitido a los residentes de Delaware a acceder a un seguro de salud asequible y de calidad a través del mercado de seguros,” dijo el Senador Americano Chris Coons. “Solo en este año, mis colegas y yo pudimos extender subsidios críticos para este programa a través de la Ley para la Reducción de la Inflación para garantizar que más familias puedan pagar el seguro médico que necesitan sin tener que tirar la casa por la ventana. A partir de hoy, los residentes de Delaware tienen más opciones que nunca para protegerse a sí mismos y a sus familias, y deben visitar CuidadodeSalud.gov para inscribirse o cambiar su seguro antes del 15 de enero.”

“A raíz de la pandemia de COVID-19, el acceso a un seguro de salud asequible y de calidad nunca ha sido más importante. Es por eso por lo que voté para aprobar la Ley para la Reducción de la Inflación en agosto, que extiende los subsidios de la ACA, lo que reduce el costo de la atención médica para los residentes de Delaware inscritos en la cobertura de atención médica a través del Mercado de Seguros Médicos de Delaware,” dijo la Representante Americana Lisa Blunt Rochester. “Y este año, los residentes de Delaware tienen más opciones que nunca para encontrar un plan asequible que funcione mejor para ellos y sus familias. Me complace unirme a mis colegas—el Senador Carper y el Senador Coons—así como al Comisionado de Seguros Navarro para anunciar que hoy, 1º de Noviembre, marca el comienzo del período de inscripción abierta para que los residentes de Delaware se inscriban en la cobertura de atención médica a través del mercado. Los residentes de Delaware tienen hasta el 15 de Enero de 2023 para revisar sus planes actuales, inscribirse en un nuevo plan u obtener más información en HealthCare.gov. ¡No pierda la oportunidad de obtener cobertura!”

Además del Mercado de Seguros Médicos, algunos residentes pueden ser elegibles para la cobertura a través del programa ampliado de Medicaid de Delaware, que está abierto todo el año. Más de 10,000 residentes de Delaware reciben cobertura bajo la expansión de Medicaid cada año. Para ser evaluado o solicitar los beneficios de Medicaid, vaya a Delaware ASSIST.

Tanto el Mercado de Seguros Médicos como la expansión de Medicaid han ayudado a reducir la tasa de personas sin seguro de Delaware, decreciente del 10% en 2008 al 5.7% en 2021, según la Oficina del Censo. Esa disminución incluye a los residentes de Delaware que no pudieron obtener cobertura antes de la Ley del Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio debido a condiciones preexistentes.

Delawareans will find more choice in insurers and plans, and continuing enhanced federal subsidies to help with affordability; enrollment runs through Jan. 15, 2023

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 1, 2022) – Coming off a record-breaking year for enrollment on Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace, Delawareans seeking coverage for 2023 will find more choice in insurers and plans than ever before, and continue to find enhanced federal subsidies, which began last year under the Biden administration. The subsidies have helped to reduce consumer costs by as much as 40%.

The marketplace’s 10th open enrollment period started today, Nov. 1, and ends Jan. 15, 2023, at www.HealthCare.gov, where consumers can renew existing coverage or sign up for a new plan. Coverage for enrollees who sign up by Dec. 15 and pay their first month’s premium will be effective Jan. 1.

Individuals who don’t act by Jan. 15, 2023, cannot get coverage for 2023 unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period based on circumstances such as a loss of qualifying health coverage, change of income, becoming a parent, or other qualifying factors.

This year, Delawareans will have three insurers to choose from vs. only one last year, and a total of 30 plans, the highest total in the 10 years of the marketplace. Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro announced in June that two new insurers – AmeriHealth Caritas (four plans) and Aetna CVS Health (nine plans) – would join Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware (17 plan options) in offering coverage on the marketplace for 2023.

In September, Commissioner Navarro announced that Highmark’s rates would increase 5.5% on average. The overall stability of Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace reflects continued federal approval of Delaware’s reinsurance program. The program has lowered health insurance premiums for plans sold in the individual insurance market by partially reimbursing insurers for high-cost health care claims through a fund that uses a mix of federal funding and assessments collected by the Delaware Department of Insurance from health insurance carriers. Because the insurers’ claims costs are lower, the insurers can reduce the cost of premiums or limit increases.

During last year’s open enrollment, a total of 32,113 Delawareans enrolled for 2022 coverage on Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace, an increase of 26.8% over the previous year.

“All Delaware families need access to affordable, quality health care,” said Governor John Carney. “There are more plans to choose from this year, which will help to make coverage even more affordable. I encourage all Delawareans to look through your options, especially small-business owners, independent contractors and individuals who don’t have access to health insurance through an employer. It’s important we prioritize our health.”

In 2021, the Biden administration made expanding access to health insurance and affordability a priority through the American Rescue Plan Act, which increased tax credits and expanded subsidies into the middle class. This year, the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act continued those enhanced benefits through 2025. For instance, a family of four (both parents in their 40s) making $50,000 are eligible for a credit of roughly $16,000, compared with $14,300 previously.

In addition, the federal government earlier this month changed the way that the affordability of employer coverage is determined for members of an employee’s family, the so-called “family glitch.” Starting in 2023, family members of a person who is offered employer-based coverage that is “affordable” for the employee only and not the whole family, may be eligible for tax credits on the marketplace for the first time. This change will help more consumers qualify for tax credits and cost-sharing reductions through a marketplace plan.

Federal tax credits are available for those whose household income is between 138% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. For 2023 coverage, that’s between $18,754 and $54,360 for an individual, or between $38,295 and $111,000 for a family of four. For coverage in 2022, about 89% of enrollees in Delaware were eligible for tax credits, which help reduce the cost of the monthly premium.

Plans on the marketplace are spread among metal-level categories – bronze, silver, gold, platinum and catastrophic – and are based on how enrollees choose to split the costs of care with their insurance company. Bronze plans have low monthly premiums but high costs when you need care; gold plans have high premiums but lower costs when you need care. In a silver plan, the insurer pays about 70% of medical costs and the consumer pays about 30%. Consumers who pick silver health care plans might also qualify for additional savings through discounts on deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. In Delaware, about 23% of current enrollees qualified for cost-sharing reductions. For any marketplace plan in 2023, individual consumers can’t pay more than $9,100 in out-of-pocket medical costs and families can’t pay more than $18,200.

For 2023:

• Highmark will offer 17 plans for individuals – three platinum plans, six gold, three silver, four bronze and one catastrophic.
• Aetna CVS Health will offer nine plans – two gold, four silver and three bronze.
• AmeriHealth Caritas will offer four plans – one gold, one silver and two bronze.
• Two dental insurers – Delta Dental of Delaware, Inc. and Dominion Dental Services, Inc. – will offer a collective 13 stand-alone dental plans on the marketplace, seven with a low actuarial level (pay less monthly, but more when you get dental services) and six with a high actuarial level (pay more monthly, but less when you get dental care).

All plans offer essential health benefits such as coverage of pre-existing conditions, outpatient care, emergency services, hospitalization, prescription drugs, mental health and substance use disorder services, lab services, pediatric services, birth control and breastfeeding coverage, and COVID-19 vaccines, including the new bivalent booster. In addition, coverage cannot be terminated due to a change in health status, including diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19.

“As we enter the 10th year of open enrollment on Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace, we are grateful for the important role that marketplace plans are playing in improving access to high-quality and affordable health care,” said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik. “And we appreciate the stability that the Biden administration, our congressional delegation, the Insurance Commissioner and our own reinsurance program have all brought to the marketplace. I urge everyone to take another look at the affordability of the plans on Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace and look at how the coverage can fit into your family’s budget.”

“Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace is more successful than ever before with steady rates, enhanced subsidies, and enrollment at an all-time high,” said Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro. “I am so proud that going into 2023, consumers will also benefit from the most competition our state has seen, with three insurers and 30 plan options to choose from.”

Assistance for Delaware enrollees

Consumers can go to HealthCare.gov or CuidadodeSalud.gov now to explore their options for 2023 coverage, and they can enroll anytime between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15, 2023.

Delawareans who need help enrolling in coverage will have access to free in-person assistance from federally funded and trained specialists at Westside Family Healthcare (statewide) and Quality Insights, Inc., (New Castle and Sussex counties) and by certified application counselors at Henrietta Johnson Medical Center in Wilmington and La Red Health Center in Georgetown. Westside and Quality Insights each received increased federal funding for navigators to help people enroll for coverage.

State-licensed insurance agents and brokers are also available to help individuals re-enroll and to help employers update their coverage, at no extra charge.

For more information, go to www.ChooseHealthDE.com. You can enroll in marketplace coverage at HealthCare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

• About 89% of Delaware’s marketplace enrollees received financial assistance in 2022 to help pay their monthly premiums and/or deductibles and co-pays.
• The overall average monthly premium in Delaware is $706, with the average premium reduced to $169 per month after tax credit. For the 89% of Delawareans who received financial assistance, the average premium after tax credit is $114 per month.
• Among the 32,113 people who signed up during last year’s open enrollment, about 78% were re-enrollees and 22% were new enrollees.
• Financial help is available for individuals with annual incomes up to $54,360; for a family of four the income limit is $111,000.
• About 62% of Delaware’s enrollees signed up during the three weeks before Dec. 15, 2021.

Support from Congressional Delegation

Delaware’s U.S. senators and representative urged uninsured Delawareans to find out what’s available for them on the marketplace.

“I am proud that we were able to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and make health insurance more affordable for Americans through 2025 with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Carper. “Now in its 10th year, the marketplace is more affordable than ever, and Delawareans have more options than before. I encourage everyone to visit HealthCare.gov or seek free help from our many health insurance navigators and get covered without delay!”

“As we go into the 10th year of open enrollment, it’s clear that the Affordable Care Act has enabled Delawareans to access quality, affordable health insurance through the insurance marketplace,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Coons. “Just this year, my colleagues and I were able to extend critical subsidies for this program through the Inflation Reduction Act to ensure that more families can pay for the health insurance they need without breaking the bank. Starting today, Delawareans have more options than ever before to protect themselves and their families, and they should visit HealthCare.gov to sign up for or change their insurance before January 15.”

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to quality, affordable health insurance has never been more important. That’s why I voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act in August which extends ACA subsidies, reducing the cost of health care for Delawareans enrolled in health care coverage through Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace,” said U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. “And this year, Delawareans have more options than ever before to find an affordable plan that works best for them and their families. I’m glad to join my colleagues – Senator Carper and Senator Coons – as well as Insurance Commissioner Navarro to announce that today, November 1st, marks the beginning of the open enrollment period for Delawareans to sign up for health care coverage through the marketplace. Delawareans have until January 15, 2023, to review their current plans, enroll in a new plan, or get more information at HealthCare.gov. Don’t miss the chance to get covered!”

In addition to the Health Insurance Marketplace, some residents might be eligible for coverage through Delaware’s expanded Medicaid program, which is open year-round. More than 10,000 Delawareans receive coverage under the Medicaid expansion each year. To be screened for or to apply for Medicaid benefits, go to Delaware ASSIST.

Both the Health Insurance Marketplace and the Medicaid expansion have helped to reduce Delaware’s uninsured rate, decreasing from 10% in 2008 to 5.7% in 2021, according to the Census Bureau. That decline includes Delawareans who could not get coverage before the Affordable Care Act because of pre-existing conditions.

Governor John Carney and the Delaware congressional delegation gathered at the Rose Hill Community Center in New Castle today to announce a $6 million federal grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to help urban and rural communities move forward on projects that modernize roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and intermodal transportation and make our transportation systems safer, more accessible, more affordable, and more sustainable.

“This announcement is about building a stronger community. More than a quarter of the residents in the Route 9 area do not have access to a car and rely on walking, biking, and public transportation,” said Governor Carney. “This $6 million award from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program will help make Route 9 safer and livable for pedestrians. Thank you to the Congressional delegation – Senators Carper and Coons and Representative Blunt Rochester – for advocating tirelessly for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that is driving this project.”

Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski added, “We are looking at our road systems through a new lens and not just how we are moving automotive traffic, but all modes of transportation. Everyone deserves an equitable right to mobility and these projects will help residents of these communities travel safer and easier whether its walking, biking, using public transportation, or an automobile.”

“We are seeing our hard work on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the Environment and Public Works Committee come to fruition, right here on Route 9,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper, chair of the committee. “The federal funding that will help uplift the Route 9 corridor that we are celebrating today is from the RAISE Grant program, which aims to make investments in safety, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists, sustainability, and resilience, all while addressing the backlog of repairs in our nation’s transportation system. I look forward to seeing the results of this remarkable investment into these communities.”

“When the Route 9 corridor was first laid out after WWII, it was too much, too close together: industrial right next to commercial, right next to residential. We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fix some of the things that made the roads unsafe, that made public transportation difficult to access, and that has too often made the corridor a hard place to live,” U.S. Senator Chris Coons said. “What a blessing to look back at areas where planning frankly failed the needs of the community and know we’re investing millions of dollars in federal and state funding to do real planning and produce a new vision for how people will move up and down the corridor, and how they will connect with it.”

“Investing in our transportation infrastructure is essential to the health, economy, and well-being of the First State,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “Today’s $6 million RAISE grant announcement will pave the way for DelDOT to begin planning on projects to improve transportation infrastructure that keep environmental, economic, and transportation equity at the forefront. I’m proud to have supported DelDOT’s grant application and to have voted for the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which more than doubled funding for the RAISE Grant. There’s more work to be done but I am confident that if we — the Biden Administration, federal, state, and local leaders and community members — continue to work together, we will create safer, healthier communities here in Delaware.”

The Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) is also receiving $630,000 in federal funding for its Connecting Route 9 Corridor Communities project, which will improve transportation in the Delaware State Route 9 corridor. Many residents in this area are members of minority groups and live below the poverty line with limited or no access to a car. With community outreach and technical analyses, DTC will plan improvements to enhance bus service, microtransit and the pedestrian environment to provide access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and other services.

The grant will fund preconstruction activities for the 12 projects identified in the 2017 WILMAPCO Route 9 Corridor Land Use and Transportation Plan and includes surveying, establishing the existing right-of-way, and location of existing utilities along the Route 9 corridor between Wilmington and New Castle to develop more detailed concept plans that address both community impact and constructability.

Construction is currently estimated to begin in 2025 on the first set of projects.

DOVER, Del. – State Auditor Kathy McGuiness has supported the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) as it pushes for federal legislation to address pharmacy benefit managers’ (PBMs) predatory practices.

“It is heartrending to watch people have to decide between paying for their life-saving medications and buying food for their families,” McGuiness said. “It’s especially painful to see when you know that their prescription drug prices are being artificially inflated to line the bloated pockets of CVS, Express Scripts Inc. and OptumRx.”

McGuiness, a licensed immunizing pharmacist, has released two special reports so far on the impact that PBMs are having in Delaware. These reports – titled “Lack of Transparency & Accountability in Drug Pricing Could be Costing Taxpayers Millions” and “Predatory Practices: Survey Says Middlemen Destroying Delaware’s Independent Pharmacies” – have garnered national attention and helped to shine a light on how PBMs have overcharged Delaware taxpayers by millions of dollars.

Through predatory practices such as Direct and Indirect Remuneration (DIR) fees and spread pricing, PBMs are strangling independent pharmacies’ ability to stay open and serve as the first line of defense when their customers are hurt or sick.

“This is a critical issue that affects the lives of all Delaware residents,” McGuiness said. “That’s why I sent a letter to President Biden and Delaware’s federal delegation – Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester – asking them to support federal legislation to curb these harmful PBM practices.”

NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, MBA, a pharmacist, thanked McGuiness for her support.

“Pharmacy DIR fees and spread pricing policies are among the most egregious PBM tactics we know of. This is an excellent moment for Congress and the Biden administration to end these ploys once and for all,” Hoey said. “We’re grateful to Auditor McGuiness for her important work on this and in fighting more broadly for increased PBM transparency and reforms.” 

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) also said it supports national movements to regulate PBMs.

“Unique among any other party in health care, pharmacy benefit management companies are accountable to no one in how they conduct their business,” said APhA Executive Vice President and CEO Scott Knoer, also a pharmacist. “As a result, prescription drug costs are artificially high, generating inflated profit margins for the PBMs. This threatens patients’ access to pharmacists’ care in local communities. 

“APhA supports state and federal legislation and regulations that brings transparency to their clandestine activities and holds them more accountable.”

McGuiness has been a staunch advocate for raising public awareness of PBMs – and for demonstrating to legislators that healthcare is a critical issue for everyone.

“I will continue the fight to ensure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently, effectively and as intended,” McGuiness said, “and to protect Delaware’s residents from fraud, waste and abuse of their money.”

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

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Contact:       

Anna Nuzzolese, Executive Assistant

302-857-3907

Anna.Nuzzolese@delaware.gov