Reports
Official Delaware healthcare reports, benchmark analyses, and legislative findings. Each entry links directly to the source documents.
Fifth Annual Health Care Cost & Quality Report
Delaware's fifth annual benchmark report covering Calendar Year 2023 health care spending and quality data. Per capita spending increased 9.1% — far exceeding the 3.1% benchmark — as total medical expenditures reached approximately $10.4 billion statewide.
Key Findings
- Per capita health care spending increased 9.1% in CY 2023
- Benchmark set at 3.1% — Delaware exceeded it for the fifth consecutive year
- Pharmacy spending had the highest rate of growth among all categories
- Long-term care and hospital inpatient spending continued rising
Sources & methodology: DE Dept. of Health and Social Services (DHSS) · how we compile and verify this data.
Annual Health Care Cost & Quality Report
Delaware's annual report summarizing health care spending and quality data from all payers. CY 2024 saw TME grow to $11.3 billion — an 8.4% increase from 2023 — marking the fourth consecutive year Delaware exceeded its cost growth benchmark.
Key Findings
- Total Medical Expenses (TME) grew to $11.3 billion (+8.4% vs. 2023)
- Delaware exceeded the 3.0% cost growth benchmark for the 4th year in a row (6.4% per capita)
- Hospital Inpatient spending reached $2.2 billion (19.7% of TME)
- Long-Term Care costs increased 12.2% year-over-year
- Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths dropped significantly: 47.5 → 29.4 per 100,000
- Breast Cancer Screening (Commercial) met its benchmark at 79.4%
- Adult Obesity rate rose to 36.6% vs. benchmark of 30.5%
Sources & methodology: DE Dept. of Health and Social Services (DHSS) · how we compile and verify this data.
Health Care Claims Database (HCCD) Public Reports
Public cost, utilization, and quality reports from the Delaware Health Care Claims Database — the largest all-payer claims repository in Delaware history — published by the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN). CostAware reports are sponsored by the Delaware Health Care Commission and DHSS to help consumers compare cost and quality across hospitals, ACOs, and outpatient settings.
CostAware: Outpatient Services and Top Procedures
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · June 2026
Average cost of outpatient services in Delaware by insurance type and year — including adult and child doctor visits, mental health services, diabetes and cardiac care, colonoscopy, ED visits, imaging, and lab tests — plus the top 10 outpatient procedures by claims volume and total spending.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Identifies the 10 outpatient procedures driving the largest claims volume and total spending statewide — a natural shortlist for cost-containment efforts.
- Breaks average costs down by insurance type (commercial, Medicare, Medicaid), revealing how much payers differ for the same service.
- Complements the CY 2024 Benchmark Trend Report: the outpatient services tracked here feed the total spending growth (+8.4%) the benchmark program is trying to slow.
CostAware: Inpatient Services
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · June 2026
Average cost of inpatient procedures in Delaware by hospital, insurance type, and year — covering vaginal and cesarean births, normal newborns, and cardiac procedures such as percutaneous coronary intervention and heart failure treatment.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Compares average cost for the same procedure — vaginal and cesarean births, newborn care, cardiac care — across Delaware hospitals, exposing price variation for identical care.
- Maternity categories provide cost baselines for the maternal and infant health priority in the state's SHIP 2025–2028 plan.
- Cardiac procedure costs (PCI, heart failure treatment) tie directly to the chronic disease priority in the State Health Improvement Plan.
CostAware: Average Prescription Drug Costs
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · June 2026
Average daily cost of brand and generic prescription drugs in Delaware by insurance type and drug category, based on 2023 pharmacy claims data.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Uses 2023 pharmacy claims to compare the average daily cost of brand vs. generic drugs by insurance type and drug category.
- Relevant to the benchmark finding that pharmacy spending posted the highest growth of any category — this report pinpoints which drug categories drive it.
- Gives policymakers actual claims data for generic substitution, formulary, and pharmacy benefit policy debates.
CostAware: Imaging by Provider Organization
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · June 2026
Average cost of imaging procedures (head CT, lumbar spine MRI, screening mammography) in Delaware by provider organization, insurance type, and year.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Shows what different provider organizations charge for identical imaging — head CT, lumbar spine MRI, screening mammography — a classic 'shoppable service' comparison.
- Lumbar spine MRI is a nationally recognized overuse hotspot; this data lets Delaware assess its own utilization against that concern.
- Price variation across organizations for the same scan provides a concrete transparency baseline for payment-reform discussions.
Emergency Department Utilization
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · June 2026
How frequently Delawareans visit the emergency department and for what reasons. Helps identify opportunities to prevent non-emergent visits through targeted educational outreach about managing chronic conditions and alternatives to the ED. Pairs directly with the ED utilization benchmark in the CY 2024 Benchmark Trend Report.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Pairs with the CY 2024 Benchmark Trend Report, where commercial ED utilization ran 161.9 per 1,000 against a 156.1 benchmark — this report shows the visits behind that miss, by reason for visit.
- Identifies which non-emergent conditions could be redirected to primary or urgent care, supporting targeted outreach investments.
- Provides a measurable utilization baseline for chronic-condition management programs aimed at reducing preventable ED use.
CostAware: Quality Measures & Patient Ratings
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · June 2026
CMS-generated health care quality, patient outcome, and satisfaction measures for Delaware hospitals and ACOs, including patient ratings and Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO quality data.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Connects cost to quality: CMS outcome and satisfaction measures let policymakers spot high-cost, low-rated providers rather than assuming price reflects quality.
- Includes Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO quality data — a window into how Delaware's value-based care arrangements are performing.
- Puts the same provider ratings behind CostAware's consumer price comparisons, strengthening the initiative's informed-choice mission.
HCCD Dashboard — Overview of the Database
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) · Ongoing
Interactive overview of the data collected and reported by the Healthcare Claims Database, including covered lives and payer mix across Medicare, Medicaid, and Delaware's seven largest commercial insurers.
For Policymakers — Key Takeaways
- Shows the database's full scope — covered lives and payer mix across Medicare, Medicaid, and the seven largest commercial insurers — the context for every other report in this section.
- The largest all-payer claims repository in state history gives policymakers a near-complete market view instead of single-payer slices.
- Serves as the baseline for measuring whether claims-based transparency is translating into the slower cost growth the benchmark program targets.
Researcher access: the underlying HCCD claims data (Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims, enrollment, and provider data) is available to researchers and policymakers through an application, Data Use Agreement, and review by the DHIN Data Access Review Committee (DARC), established under Title 16, § 10311 of the Delaware Code. All 17 public reports were refreshed in June 2026; the next update is planned for May 2027. Request information
Healthcare Workforce Reports
Publications from the Delaware Health Force (DHF) and related partners on provider supply, shortage designations, and workforce equity across Delaware.
2022 Delaware Healthcare Workforce Census
Delaware Health Force (DHF) / Delaware Health Care Commission · January 2023
Landmark census of Delaware's licensed healthcare workforce, covering provider demographics, specialty distribution, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations by county, and supply/demand projections. First comprehensive statewide workforce count of its kind.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- First-ever comprehensive count of Delaware's licensed healthcare providers statewide.
- Revealed significant provider maldistribution — New Castle County is far better served than Kent and Sussex.
- Established baseline HPSA designations and supply/demand projections used in all subsequent policy planning.
Unraveling Healthcare Shortages in Delaware and Charting a Course for Equity and Resilience
Delaware Journal of Public Health / Delaware Academy of Medicine & DPHA · December 2023
In-depth analysis of Delaware's 37 HRSA-designated HPSAs across primary care, dental, and mental health. Examines provider maldistribution between New Castle County and rural Kent/Sussex counties, burnout-driven workforce exits, and the equity implications of care deserts for low-income and Medicaid populations.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Delaware has 37 federally designated HPSAs — spanning primary care, dental, and mental health.
- Burnout and retirement are accelerating provider exits, disproportionately impacting rural communities.
- Medicaid and low-income populations bear the greatest burden from care deserts in Kent and Sussex counties.
Delaware Nursing Workforce Interactive Report
Tech Impact Data Innovation Lab / Delaware Public Health Association · Ongoing (Updated Regularly)
State-of-the-nursing-workforce data for Delaware, covering supply demographics, geographic distribution, pipeline trends, and strategic planning indicators. Designed to support data-driven policy to mitigate nurse shortages.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Tracks Delaware's nursing supply pipeline, vacancy rates, and geographic distribution in real time.
- Highlights an aging nursing workforce with a significant share eligible for retirement within 10 years.
- Designed to directly inform state workforce policy and hospital staffing decisions.
DHF Workforce Maps & Analytics (Tableau)
Delaware Health Force (DHF) · Updated Monthly
Monthly-refreshed interactive maps showing provider distribution by county and ZIP code, Health Profession Shortage Area overlays, supply/demand projections, and labor market data integrated from BLS and Lightcast proprietary sources.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Visual maps of provider coverage gaps down to ZIP code level across all three Delaware counties.
- Integrates BLS and Lightcast labor market data updated monthly for current workforce conditions.
- Supply/demand projections help planners identify where shortages are worsening fastest.
Making Data Work: Collecting Better Health Care Workforce Data to Inform State Policy
Milbank Memorial Fund / Freedman Healthcare · October 2025
National policy brief from the Milbank Memorial Fund examining how states can improve health care workforce data collection and analysis. Features Delaware Health Force as a case study and national model for workforce data dashboards, citing DHF's integration of DPR licensing data, CMS records, and DHIN as a best practice. Recommends mandating data collection through professional licensing — a approach Delaware pioneered via SB122.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Delaware Health Force cited as a national model for state-level workforce data infrastructure and dashboards.
- Recommends mandating workforce data collection through professional licensing — an approach Delaware already implemented via SB122.
- Highlights that accurate state data is essential for securing federal HPSA designations, loan repayment funding, and bonus payments.
- Calls for cross-state standardization of workforce metrics to enable meaningful comparisons and national planning.
DHF Healthcare Workforce Digest — August 2025
Delaware Health Force (DHF) · August 2025
Second issue of DHF's periodic workforce digest. Features a 'From the Director' piece co-authored by Brian Frazee (Delaware Healthcare Association) on how hospitals can turbocharge workforce efforts and access. Includes a preview of the second annual Delaware Healthcare Workforce Summit, an update from La Red Health Center on pediatric expansion, a report on the Bayh-Dole Act's role in Delaware's innovation economy, and a new rural telehealth strategy guide.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Delaware hospitals recruited 200+ physicians for residency training in 2025 — research shows physicians tend to stay where they train.
- Delaware hospitals and health systems employ 480+ primary care providers across the state.
- Second annual Healthcare Workforce Summit convened September 24 at Bayhealth Conference Center in Dover.
- DHF developing new mapping tools to visualize hospital service areas statewide.
- Bayh-Dole Act report highlights Delaware universities produced 125 invention disclosures and launched 24 startups (2017–2021).
DHF Healthcare Workforce Digest — April 2025
Delaware Health Force (DHF) · April 2025
Latest issue of DHF's periodic workforce bulletin covering upcoming changes to mapping tools, 2025 Summit announcements, and current workforce trends across Delaware's healthcare occupations.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Announces updates to DHF's Tableau mapping tools for 2025 with expanded ZIP-level data.
- Previews the 2025 Workforce Summit agenda focusing on rural shortage solutions.
- Summarizes current occupational trends across nursing, allied health, and primary care.
Delaware Health Force: A Comprehensive Approach to Addressing Healthcare Workforce Challenges
PMC / National Institutes of Health · March 2025
Peer-reviewed article examining Delaware's public-private DHF model, its data infrastructure spanning DPR licensing data, CMS records, and DHIN, and early outcomes including expanded graduate medical education and interest-free loan programs for in-state practitioners.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Delaware's public-private DHF model is cited as a national model for state-level workforce data infrastructure.
- Data pipeline integrates DPR licensing records, CMS claims, and DHIN health information network data.
- Early outcomes include expanded GME slots and an interest-free loan program retaining in-state practitioners.
Quality of Life & Health Rankings
Annual County Health Rankings reports for Delaware (2016–2025), produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Each year covers health outcomes (mortality, morbidity, quality of life) and health factors (behaviors, clinical care, social & economic factors, physical environment).
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation / countyhealthrankings.org
| Year | Summary Report | Data File |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Data only | Excel Data |
| 2024 | Data only | Excel Data |
| 2023 | Data only | Excel Data |
| 2022 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
| 2021 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
| 2020 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
| 2019 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
| 2018 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
| 2017 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
| 2016 | PDF Report | Excel Data |
Related Assessments & Plans
America's Health Rankings — 2026 Senior Report (Delaware)
American Health Foundation · May 2026
Portrait of the health and well-being of Delaware adults age 65 and older. Finds progress in reducing early death rates and strengthening social connectedness, while flagging challenges in chronic disease burden and workforce for older adult care.
Health Freedom: A 50-State Freedom Index of Health and Health Care (2026)
Knee Regulatory Research Center, West Virginia University · 2026
Academic 50-state index scoring states across five categories, including professional freedom (scope-of-practice and workforce rules) and patient freedom (insurance and access regulation). Delaware ranks ahead of neighboring Pennsylvania, which fell 12 spots since 2020 to 43rd. The index reflects the center's health-freedom measurement framework and is presented descriptively for cross-state policy comparison.
2025 Delaware Epidemiological Profile: Substance Use, Mental Health & Related Issues
University of Delaware — Center for Drug & Health Studies (CDHS/SEOW) · October 2025
Annual statewide profile of behavioral health indicators covering mental health and well-being, patterns of substance use and consequences, and risk and protective factors. Includes updated Delaware and national comparisons. Companion guide published January 2026.
Delaware State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) 2025–2028
Delaware SHIP / Healthy Delaware · 2025
Updated five-year strategic plan identifying five priority health outcomes: mental health, maternal and infant health, chronic disease, substance use, and health equity. Replaces the 2022–2026 SHIP and sets new statewide health improvement targets.
Delaware State Health Assessment 2022–2023
DHSS Division of Public Health & University of Delaware · October 2023
Comprehensive 300+ page assessment covering housing, poverty, chronic disease, mortality by race/ethnicity, transportation, food security, and community survey data across all three counties.
Delaware State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) 2022–2026 (Archived)
Healthy Delaware / DHSS · 2022
Previous five-year strategic plan tied to the State Health Assessment. Sets priorities for improving health outcomes across the seven Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being. Superseded by the 2025–2028 SHIP.
Delaware Health Care Commission 2024 Annual Report
Delaware Health Care Commission (DHCC) · October 2025
Annual report to the Governor and General Assembly summarizing progress and activities of DHCC programs and initiatives through 2024, including cost containment, quality improvement, and health care access efforts statewide.
Delaware Cancer Consortium Accomplishments Report
Healthy Delaware / Delaware Cancer Consortium · April 2026
Latest accomplishments report from the Delaware Cancer Consortium, covering cancer screening, prevention, and treatment program progress. Released April 2026, following data showing continued decline in Delaware cancer mortality rates.
Delaware Department of Insurance — 2025 Market Data Report
Delaware Department of Insurance · February 2026
Annual release of Delaware insurance market statistics for 2025, covering health insurance enrollment, carrier participation, premium trends, and market composition across commercial, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid managed care plans.
Delaware Vital Statistics Annual Report 2016
DHSS Office of Vital Statistics · 2016
Life expectancy, leading causes of death, teen birth rates, general fertility rates, and infant mortality rates for Delaware.
Reports are linked directly from official state and federal sources. Always verify data with the original issuing agency.