Delaware Patients’ Rights Bill Moves to Governor

The Delaware House on June 26 unanimously approved legislation already passed by the state Senate that would allow private insurance patients to sue health plans and insurers for denial of care after exhausting an independent review process, the Associated Press reports. The legislation would also guarantee patients access to emergency and specialty care, as well as a "broad range" of prescription drugs. Under pressure from insurance companies, lawmakers withdrew a provision that would have forced companies to cover the cost of legal bills "accrued by a patient in the course of a successful appeal." The state House passed the bill, which moves to Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) for approval. Minner is expected to sign the bill. "It will make a difference. It got amended a little bit, but it has passed," she said, adding that the legislation "will speed up the health care process." According to Minner administration officials, the legislation should have "little effect" on the cost of health insurance premiums and "could actually save insurance companies money in the long run by making health care more efficient." Minner also said that a potential federal patients' rights statute would not significantly affect the Delaware legislation (Associated, 6/26).