State News

All health benefit plans delivered or issued for Medicaid, private health insurance plans and
state employee insurance plans in Delaware will be required to cover abortion care under a
recently signed law, reports Delaware Public Media. Delaware is the fifth state to require
private insurers to cover these services, and the eighteenth state to expand Medicaid benefits
to include abortion services. The law, effective January 1, 2025 for public plans and post-2025
for private insurers, complements existing coverage of fertility and cancer care, breast exams,
and doula services.

This article examines the litigation on Oregon HB 2362, which was contested by the Oregon
Association of Hospitals and Health Systems in federal district court in Oregon. The OAHHS
argued the law was unconstitutionally vague and delegates too much authority to the Oregon
Health Authority. The federal district court dismissed the vagueness claims, and declined to
rule on the nondelegation claim, pushing that claim back to the state court. The case is on
appeal.

A draft of the 2024 Health Care Cost Trends Report from The Massachusetts Health Policy
Commission suggests that residents living in Fall River have felt a surge of healthcare costs. A
survey by the Center for Health Information and Analysis found that over half of the state’s low-
income residents with employer sponsored insurance coverage said it was challenging to
afford care. The full Health Care Cost Trends Report will be released Oct. 10, 2024.

Delaware passed legislation in September expected to improve health insurance coverage for
roughly one-in-four Delawareans reports The Talk of Delmarva. Effective July 1, 2025,
Delaware’s “Protect Medicaid Act of 2024” (SB 13) introduces significant state and federal
funding, securing $175 million annually to protect, enhance and expand health coverage for
the roughly 200,000 Delawareans who receive care through the state’s Medicaid program
through a hospital-led investment and federal matching. This marks the largest ongoing
Medicaid funding boost since the Affordable Care Act.

Minnesotans who find themselves burdened by medical debt may find some relief thanks to a
new state law, reports WCCO News. Minnesota’s Debt Fairness Act, effective September
2024, enhances medical debt protections. The law bans reporting medical debt to credit
bureaus and garnishment for those earning below minimum wage, capping garnishment at
10% for others. Providers are also barred from denying necessary care due to outstanding
debt.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) and the state Department of Education have
announced that they will pursue a state plan amendment to expand the number of school-
based Medicaid services available to eligible students, reports KGOU Oklahoma. The
agencies hope to add dietician and substance abuse benefits, among others. A $2.5 million
CMS grant will support the initiative, which includes mentorship programs to aid districts in
implementing billing.

Many Minnesotans struggle to find and afford fertility care, reports MPR News. Rural
Minnesotans, in particular, face significant challenges accessing and affording fertility care due
to logistical and financial burdens. High deductibles contribute to the cost burdens, which is
made more complex by the variation in deductible costs between patients. Although state and
federal policymakers have discussed coverage mandates for fertility care, little progress has
been made.

Rhode Island’s uninsured rate remains one of the lowest in the nation, reports What’s Up
Newport. Rhode Island reports only 2.2% of its residents and 0.2% of children under 17 are
uninsured, maintaining one of the lowest uninsured rates nationally. Young adults (18-25)
continue to improve coverage, contributing to a 12-year trend. However, underinsurance
remains an issue for more than a quarter of Rhode Islanders.

Delaware passed legislation to bolster retiree health care benefits based on recommendations
from the Retiree Healthcare Benefits Advisory Subcommittee, reports WBOC. This effort
reinforces the funding of the OPEB Trust Fund to ensure long-term viability while balancing
other budget priorities. House Bill 377, which limits future plan design changes, will become
law without Governor Carney's signature.