housing

Bill to reduce mobile home rent seems headed to House

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would lower rent for people living in manufactured housing communities seems headed to the House floor. House Bill 212, sponsored by House Majority Leader Rep. Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, would prohibit manufactured home community owners from increasing rent by more than 5% each year and require community owners to submit annually to the The Delaware Manufactured Home Relocation …

retiree healthcare

Adding retirees to health panels passes Senate

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Despite vehement opposition from a state retirees’ group, a bill that would add retirees to committees that help determine health care options overwhelmingly passed the Senate Wednesday, just moments after it had cleared a committee hearing. Voting against it were three Republican senators. Senate Bill 29, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, would give retirees a voice by …

Kowalko Schwartzkopf

2022 Rewind: Kowalko says House Speaker killed IG bill

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

This story was originally published in July 2022. An outgoing Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives says House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf blocked his bill to create an office of the inspector general.  Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said the move was typical of Schwartzkopf’s leadership style. That leadership style can be characterized by “coercion, intimidation, incentivizing and reward,” Kowalko …

State retirees' health plan

Kowalko to file bill allowing retirees to choose health plan

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Health

    State Rep. John Kowalko on Friday unveiled a bill that will allow retirees to choose between the state’s current special Medicare plan or switch to the Medicare Advantage Plan that’s triggered all kinds of angst. Kowalko, D-Newark, has spearheaded opposition to the plan, saying it will dramatically change the way retirees get their health care. The plan would …

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Legislature to reconvene to tackle Medicare Advantage

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

In response to protests by state government retirees who say they were left in the dark over a significant change to their health insurance, the General Assembly unveiled a bill Monday aimed at creating additional oversight. The House of Representatives and Senate will hold a special session in Dover on Oct. 26 to debate and vote on the bill. Pensioners …

Rise 1

State retirees protest Carney admin’s Medicare Advantage plan

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Delaware state government retirees gathered in Wilmington Tuesday with a message for Gov. John Carney and his political appointees: “Keep your hands off our Medicare.” The crowd of mostly senior citizens planned to protest outside the Carvel State Office Building, where the governor, attorney general and New Castle County lawmakers have offices. Rain forced them indoors to the city and …

Medicare Advantage Kowalko

State retirees sue to stop Medicare Advantage plan

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A group of Delaware state government retirees and pensioners has filed suit against two government officials tasked with implementing a change in their health insurance coverage. RISE Delaware, an organization formed after state officials announced a plan to transition retirees to a Medicare Advantage program, filed the lawsuit in the Delaware Superior Court. RISE hopes to stop the transition to …

Medicare

Change to state retirees’ health insurance prompts angst

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A change to the health insurance held by retirees of Delaware’s state government is causing an uproar. The state’s requirement that retirees and pensioners switch from original Medicare to a specially-tailored Medicare Advantage plan has led to charges that retirees will lose their doctors or be denied services that are currently covered. That’s not true, said Delaware Secretary of Human …

Kowalko Schwartzkopf

Kowalko: House Speaker killed inspector general bill

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

An outgoing Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives says House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf blocked his bill to create an office of the inspector general.  Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said the move was typical of Schwartzkopf’s leadership style. That leadership style can be characterized by “coercion, intimidation, incentivizing and reward,” Kowalko said, and the inspector general bill is just …

HB 238 would bar charter schools from giving preference to applicants within a 5-mile radius of the school.

Bill to block 5-mile radius charter preference rule draws heat

Jarek RutzDelaware Live, Education, Headlines

A bill that would bar charter schools from giving preference in student admissions to those living within a 5-mile radius of the school faced a lot of scrutiny in the Senate Executive Committee Wednesday. House Bill 238 was passed by the House on May 5, although it faced concerns in the House hearings as well.  Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha, D-Wilmington, said …