Know your rights as a patient in Delaware. From surprise billing protections to financial assistance programs, here's what the law says about your medical bills.
Based on CMS cost report data from 12 hospitals in Delaware.
Delaware hospitals charge an average of 6.7× their actual costs. The average hospital stay is billed at $215,000, while the actual cost is $32,100. Compare prices at specific hospitals →
The federal No Surprises Act protects all Delaware patients, regardless of state laws:
HB 432 — Surprise Billing Protections (2020) — Delaware HB 432 (2020) protects patients from surprise out-of-network medical bills for emergency and certain non-emergency services.
If you receive a surprise out-of-network bill, you are not responsible for the balance beyond what you'd pay for in-network care. Contact your insurer and reference the HB 432 — Surprise Billing Protections (2020) to dispute any balance bill.
Under Federal 501(r) & Delaware Medicaid Expansion, hospitals in Delaware must provide financial assistance to qualifying patients.
Income threshold: Varies by hospital (Medicaid covers up to 138% FPL)
Delaware has a 3-year statute of limitations on contracts and personal injury claims including medical debt. After 3 years, creditors cannot sue to collect.
After 3 years, creditors cannot sue you to collect medical debt in Delaware. The clock starts from the date of your last payment or acknowledgment of the debt.
Beyond surprise billing and financial assistance, federal and state law provide these important protections.
Uninsured or self-pay patients can request a good faith estimate of charges before receiving care. If the final bill exceeds the estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute it through the federal process.
You have the right to an itemized bill showing each charge. Review it carefully — billing errors are found in up to 80% of hospital bills according to industry estimates.
Since 2021, all hospitals must publish their standard charges and negotiated rates online. Use Taven's price comparison tool to see how Delaware hospitals compare.
Hospitals must offer reasonable payment plans before pursuing collections. Ask about interest-free options and negotiate monthly payment amounts based on your income.
Delaware has a 3-year statute of limitations on medical debt (Del. Code tit. 10, § 8106). After 3 years from the date of last payment, creditors cannot sue you to collect.
Yes. HB 432 (2020) protects Delaware patients from surprise out-of-network bills for emergency services and from balance billing at in-network facilities.
Yes. Delaware expanded Medicaid under the ACA, covering adults with incomes up to 138% FPL through the Diamond State Health Plan.
Yes, after a court judgment. Delaware limits garnishment to 15% of disposable earnings, lower than the federal maximum of 25%.
Contact the Delaware Department of Insurance at 302-674-7300 for insurance complaints. For billing fraud, contact the Delaware Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit.
If a hospital or insurance company is violating your rights, you can file a formal complaint.
For insurance-related complaints: claim denials, balance billing, network issues.
📞 1-302-674-7300
File a complaint →For deceptive billing practices, fraud, or consumer protection violations.
File a complaint →Compare prices at 12 hospitals across Delaware. Click any hospital to see their procedure prices and negotiated rates.
Upload your bill and we'll check it against local averages, flag potential errors, and find savings opportunities.