DelawareSB 341153rd General Assembly (2024–2026)Senate

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK.

Sponsored By: Ray Seigfried (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Delaware expands its health data network

The law names the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) as Delaware’s official health information exchange and health data utility. DHIN remains a nonprofit public corporation supporting public and private use of health care information. Its role includes helping pharmacies, labs, and other health care groups communicate. DHIN can use contracts, partnerships, joint ventures, and subleases to support its mission, with activities allowed under Delaware law. These arrangements do not make DHIN a health care provider.

More health data access, without prices

DHIN must adopt rules giving individuals, providers, and other permitted users useful clinical information drawn from claims records. This information uses claims details as signals about care, must exclude prices, and remains subject to DHIN’s access and use protections. Pricing information includes charges before claim processing, patient payments such as copays and deductibles, and insurer or other reporting-entity payments afterward. DHIN must also provide standard claims data sets at no cost to seven state bodies. These are the Office of Management and Budget, State Employee Benefits Committee, Division of Public Health, State Council for Persons with Disabilities, Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance, Department of Insurance, and Delaware Health Care Commission.

Patient data sharing expands with safeguards

DHIN must limit patient-specific disclosures to people who need the information, with patient consent or in the patient’s best interest. Best-interest uses include treatment, payment, health care operations, and other uses allowed by federal health privacy law, called HIPAA. Disclosures to public health authorities also qualify, even when not required. Without written patient consent, DHIN must take reasonable steps to ensure sharing is allowed by HIPAA and federal research rules called the Common Rule. Payers, providers, purchasers, and researchers can access clinical data only as allowed by HIPAA and DHIN’s contracts. Clinical data requests need majority approval from DHIN’s board or a board subcommittee; limited and identifiable data releases also require review.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Ray Seigfried
Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

Jeff Hilovsky
Republican • House
Spiros Mantzavinos
Democratic • Senate
Cyndie Romer
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 57 • No: 1

House vote • 6/24/2026

Passed (SM required)

Yes: 37 • No: 1

Senate vote • 6/11/2026