Del. Commissioner Targets Health Care, Credit Scores, Workers’ Comp

Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn’s legislative priorities for 2006 can be summed up in six words, he says: “Health insurance, health insurance, health insurance.”

“The cost and availability of health care and health insurance are what Delawareans talk to me about the most, and that’s where my priorities are for new initiatives and new laws,” Denn said Tuesday as he released his legislative agenda.

But the elected regulator also has a ban on credit scoring, medical malpractice premium subsidies, and abuse of independent contractors to avoid workers’ compensation on his agenda.

Many of the items Denn wants the General Assembly to consider and pass this year involve health insurance, including:

Starting an insurance pool designed to make health insurance more affordable for small businesses and low-income families. As proposed, the pool would decrease health costs for 32,000 to 36,000 Delawareans.

Helping OB-GYNs who are poised to end their practice in Delaware, especially in Kent and Sussex counties, by subsidizing medical malpractice insurance for doctors in high-risk professions. The subsidy would come from a charge on the excess financial reserves of non-profit “health service corporations” that receive state tax breaks.

Allowing the Department of Insurance to reject excessive health insurance rate increases, just as it can now with auto and homeowner insurance rates.

Increasing protection of small businesses when it comes to health insurance by simplifying and rewriting the applicable section of Delaware law.

Protecting consumers from “medical discount cards,” which may seem like health insurance but are not and, in fact, can be scams.

Changing rules and requirements regarding the coverage of college students and working young adults under their parents’ health insurance.

“All these changes to state law are designed to make health insurance more available and more affordable,” Denn said. “Those of us in public office are being asked by citizens and businesses to ease their health insurance burden, and I look forward to working with legislators on these issues.”

Denn’s legislative agenda also includes:

Banning the use of credit scoring in setting auto and homeowners insurance rates.

Reducing insurance fraud by creating a “fraud busters” tip reward program.

Preventing auto accidents involving teenage drivers.

In the area of workers’ comp insurance: requiring out-of-state contractors to inform employees injured in Delaware of their right to file a workers’ comp claim; and reducing the number of companies that avoid paying workers’ comp premiums by claiming workers as “independent contractors” instead of employees.

Source: Delaware Insurance Department

Latest Comments

• June 3, 2006 at 11:59 am

  Rodger says:

  Your right on this issue of I.C.\'s! When employees are changed over they are told they will have more freedom and make more money. What really happens is 90 years of labor la... read more