# Delaware SB 13: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 6 AND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. Delaware SB 13, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 6 AND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) Senate bill sponsored by Marie Pinkney (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-07-20 (SS 1 for SB 13 - Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB13-153 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Delaware SB 13 - State: Delaware - Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) - Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 6 AND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HOSPITAL CHARITY CARE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. - Status: failed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-05-12 - Last action: 2026-07-20, SS 1 for SB 13 - Signed by Governor - Sponsor: Marie Pinkney (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 6 - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 10 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Lower hospital bills for Delaware patients: benefit, high. Beginning January 1, 2027, Delaware residents get income-based help for medically necessary hospital care, with or without insurance. Help covers the bill left after insurance: 100% at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, at least 75% above 300% through 350%, and at least 50% above 350% thro… - Debt collection protections for hospital patients: benefit, medium. Medical creditors and collectors cannot take extraordinary collection actions against patients who qualify for assistance or whom creditors reasonably know likely qualify. When they know or should know an assistance decision or appeal is pending, they cannot demand payment, sue, arbitrate, refer, o… - Stronger defenses against medical debt lawsuits: benefit, medium. In a medical-debt lawsuit, assistance eligibility or the provider's failure to follow the assistance law is a complete defense. Courts cannot grant hospitals, hospital-based providers, or collectors a default judgment without a responsible hospital officer's sworn statement. It must confirm that sc… - Charity care for specialty hospital patients: benefit, medium. Hospitals providing only psychiatric, rehabilitation, or long-term acute care remain subject to separate charity-care duties under Delaware's facility-review rules. The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board sets who qualifies and how much charity care is required each fiscal year. The Department… - Easier hospital aid applications for patients: benefit, medium. Hospitals must post prominent assistance notices and explain help at registration or admission. They must offer screening and applications to uninsured patients, anyone paying part themselves, or patients owing at least $500 after insurance. Payment requests to those patients must include a notice… - Hospital aid follows patients between providers: benefit, medium. Regular hospital assistance decisions last at least one year, with written notice of the eligibility category, income basis, and dates. Other hospitals and providers working within hospitals must accept a valid notice and give at least the required minimum help. Hospitals also must use Board-set ru… - Hospital aid protected during Medicaid reviews: benefit, medium. Hospitals may coordinate Medicaid screening when reliable available information suggests the patient qualifies for coverage on the service date. They cannot deny or delay assistance because public coverage is possible without screening, reasonable enrollment help, and documented screening steps. Pa… - More help with large hospital bills: benefit, medium. Hospitals must cut patient bills by at least 50% when one episode's out-of-pocket hospital costs reach 10% of yearly household income. Those costs include health-plan deductibles; any hospital income limit must be at least 500% of the federal poverty level. Patients apply through the regular assist… - Refunds for patients wrongly denied aid: benefit, medium. Hospitals must refund payments covered by assistance when required screening was missed or eligibility was wrongly denied using information available then. The refund includes the amount paid, reasonable costs of securing assistance, and interest at the Federal Reserve rate. If the debt was sold or… - State oversight protects hospital aid promises: benefit, low. The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board sets standard applications, income-verification materials, and streamlined eligibility methods. Hospitals may request only information reasonably needed to verify income and household size; the Board must approve changes that reduce paperwork within its… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Cruce (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kerri Evelyn Harris (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicole Poore (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Bryan Townsend (Democratic), Senate ## Actions (8) - 2026-07-20: SS 1 for SB 13 - Signed by Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-23: SS 1 for SB 13 - Passed By House. Votes: 27 YES 13 NO 1 ABSENT (House) - 2026-06-18: SS 1 for SB 13 - Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 1 Favorable, 8 On Its Merits (House) - 2026-06-11: SS 1 for SB 13 - Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House (House) - 2026-06-11: SS 1 for SB 13 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 17 YES 3 NO 1 ABSENT (Senate) - 2026-06-11: Substituted in Senate by SS 1 for SB 13 (Senate) - 2026-05-20: Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits (Senate) - 2026-05-12: Introduced and Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-05-12: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=143263&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2) ## Related bills - HS 1 for HB 449: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIETITIAN/NUTRITIONIST LICENSURE ACT. (passed house) - HB 357: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO SUPPORT POOR PERSONS. (signed) - SB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS. (vetoed) - HB 393: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLIC UTILITY CONSUMERS. (vetoed) - SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. (vetoed) - HB 356: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING FOAM AND EQUIPMENT. (failed) ## Sources - [Current (HTML)](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=143263&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2) ## Related - [HS 1 for HB 449: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIETITIAN/NUTRITI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HS1FORHB449-153) - [HB 357: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB357-153) - [SB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB279-153) - [HB 393: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB393-153) - [SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB231-153) - [HB 356: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB356-153) - [Delaware bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/delaware/bills) - [Delaware state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/delaware) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB13-153 (as of 2026-10-12).