A pilot program that gave 40 pregnant New Castle County women $1,000 a month for 24 months had greater than expected health and other benefits, the sponsors said. The program saw a 324% return on investment, organizers said at a press conference announced the result. Among its outcomes: $229,520 in reduced hospital stays $21,600 in reduced emergency department visits 50% …
Mask mandate unlikely if Pirola causes COVID case surge
It’s unlikely that a new surge of COVID-19 cases would trigger a mask mandate or switch to virtual schools, said the chief physician at the Division of Public Health. “At this point, we’ve had three years of experience,” said Dr. Greg Wanner, who also is an emergency physician. “We have now widespread availability of effective vaccines and treatments, which we …
Health marketplace adds another insurer; ’24 rates announced
A new insurance company will offer plans for 2024 on the Delaware Health Insurance Marketplace. Celtic Insurance Co. Ambetter Health of Delaware will join Aetna Health, AmeriHealth Caritas and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware in offering plans through the Affordable Care Act program once known as Obamacare. Together, the insurance companies will offer 57 plans. Most of the …
Lyme disease documentary highlights frustration of diagnosis
When Delaware native Gregg Kirk’s health declined sharply in 2002, he embarked on a years-long medical journey to deal with Lyme disease and the ramifications of it. Kirk, who now lives in Connecticut, will be back in Delaware Friday, Aug. 11, for a special event he hopes will help those coping with Lyme disease, as well as their family and …
Committee mulls adding weight loss drugs to state health plans
NOTE: This story has been updated to say Sussex County government has no knowledge about any efforts to assure Medicare patients there can have weight loss drugs when others cannot and that county government has no control over what is in individual medical plans. The State Employee Benefits Committee wants more information about new weight loss drugs that are …
Public Health to close COVID-19 call centers Tuesday
In another sign that COVID-19 is becoming a part of ordinary life, the Delaware Division of Public Health will close its COVID-19 call center and vaccine call center Tuesday because the number of calls has dwindled. It’s one more indication that the state and the federal government are starting to consider how to handle the ebbing of the pandemic as …
Winter 2023 COVID-19 surge far lower than 2022
The number of post-holiday COVID-19 cases is dramatically down this year than it was last January, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health. This time last year, the state saw 3,666 new cases reported on Jan. 6 with 759 hospitalizations on Jan. 12. This year, there were 266 new cases reported on Jan. 6, with 202 hospitalizations (24 critical) …
Delaware flu cases plateau, but will holidays trigger rise?
The week after the state announced the first flu death of the season, the number of confirmed flu cases dropped for two weeks in a row, leading to hopes that infections may have plateaued. The drop to 1,014 cases for the week ending Dec. 17, follows a small decline from 1,125 cases the previous week and 1,154 cases the week …
ChristianaCare names breast center after Tatiana Copeland
ChristianaCare has named its Breast Center The Tatiana Copeland Breast Center after a Wilmington philanthropist who was treated for cancer there. The naming of the center at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute reflects Tatiana and Gerret Copeland’s financial support, the healthcare system said in a press release. The couple gave a $1.2 million gift …
COVID, flu, RSV case rise could mean holiday tripledemic
As the number of cases of three winter respiratory viruses rise sharply in Delaware, state officials on Monday asked residents to take action to protect themselves and their families. Gov. John Carney compared the increasing numbers of COVID to rises at this time in 2020 and 2021, leading into the holidays. State health officials would like to avoid a …