Get Involved: Charity care, Wilmington affordable housing, more

Why Should Delaware Care? Government works best when its citizens are knowledgeable and engaged. Delaware’s government has scores of commissions, working groups, agencies and legislative committees. All must hold meetings that are open to the public. Below we highlight a few of those meetings that are happening this week.

Below are some of the most important or interesting public meetings happening around the state this week.

• Hospital leaders to discuss charity care

• Wilmington talks affordable housing subsidies

• Kent County leaders to discuss aquatic center

Hospital leaders to discuss charity care

Delaware’s hospital leaders will gather Monday morning to discuss their free and discounted care programs, also called charity care, and how those programs could change under recently passed state laws.

The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board, the state’s hospital oversight board, is set to hold the discussion Monday morning, which will be part of a broader working session meeting.

Nonprofit hospitals are mandated by the Internal Revenue Service to provide a “community benefit” to earn their tax-exempt status. Historically, that benefit has been offering free or discounted care, sometimes called “charity care.”

Under Senate Bill 13, which Gov. Matt Meyer signed into law in July, all of the state’s nonprofit hospitals would be required to provide free care to patients living below 300% of the Federal Poverty Line, with large discounts for patients in higher percentage brackets.

• Below 300% of the FPL ($46,950 a year) – Full discount

• 300-350% of the FPL ($46,950 to $54,775 a year) – 75% discount

• 350-400% of the FPL ($54,775 to $62,600 a year) – 50% discount

Separately, the legislation allows people living at 500% of the Federal Poverty Line — $78,250 a year — to seek out a 50% discount if the billed expenses are greater than 10% of their income.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Marie Pinkney (D-Bear), came months after a Spotlight Delaware investigation called into question the charity care practices at the state’s largest healthcare system, ChristianaCare.

It also followed a separate effort last year in which the state paid off medical debts for thousands of Delawareans, despite hospital charity care policies that could have made that treatment free.

📍 The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board will meet at 10 a.m. Monday inside the Chapel Building, located at Herman M. Holloway Sr. Health and Social Services Campus at 1901 N. DuPont Highway in New Castle. For more information, including on virtual attendance, click here.

Wilmington talks affordable housing subsidies

Wilmington City Council’s Finance & Economic Development Committee will meet Monday, where members will receive an update on Mayor John Carney’s $8.4 million subsidy for developers to build affordable housing.

The initiative passed in May as part of the city’s 2027 fiscal year budget, aimed at increasing affordable housing across the city.

In early August, Carney opened applications for developers seeking a share of the fund.

📍 Wilmington City Council’s Finance & Economic Development Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday inside Wilmington City Council’s 1st Floor Committee Room at the Louis L. Redding City/County Building, located at 800 N. French St. in Wilmington. For more information, including on virtual attendance, click here.

Kent County leaders to discuss aquatic center

During a workshop meeting on Tuesday, Kent County Levy Court commissioners are set to discuss the possibility of creating a Kent County Aquatic Center.

Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen drew criticism last year for suggesting the city use a portion of its opioid settlement fund allotment to fund a competition swimming pool in Delaware’s capital city.

Dover residents Courtney Ford and Julie Gorman first presented their vision for the First State Aquatic Center at a Dover Parks and Recreation Department meeting last fall. The pair said the center would be a state-of-the-art swimming pool that would both bring in tourists for swimming competitions and fill a gap in pools in central Dover.

Ford told Spotlight Delaware the project, estimated to cost between $20 and $44 million, would imitate DE Turf’s model of bringing regional competitions to Kent County.

It is unclear if this week’s discussion will cover that same proposal, or a separate venture.

📍 The Kent County Levy Court will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday inside the Kent County Administrative Building, located at 55 Bay Road in Dover. For more information, including on virtual attendance, click here.

Brianna Hill, Maggie Reynolds and Nick Stonesifer contributed to this report.

The post Get Involved: Charity care, Wilmington affordable housing, more appeared first on Spotlight Delaware.