Speak Up: New bill introduced to address stakeholder concerns about proposed hospital cost review board

As the highly debated bill to implement a Delaware hospital cost review board was considered by the Senate Executive Committee on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend announced a new development in negotiations between lawmakers and health care stakeholders. Under a separate proposal introduced in the House of Representatives, lawmakers are attempting to address a clause within House Substitute 2 for House Bill 350 that capped hospitals’ ability to charge more than 250% of Medicare’s cost for services.

• Huge mistake. Thousands of lower-income Delawareans will suffer if this board is implemented. Cutting costs by a politician-controlled board isn’t a good idea. Ask a retired state employee how cuts to health care benefits would undermine health care. — Unsigned