Page 4 - Delaware Department of Insurance

Commissioner Navarro, joined by State Auditor Kathy McGuiness, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, and department staff, cut the ribbon on the department’s new Dover office.
2019 in review
During 2019, the Department of Insurance advanced several public- facing initiatives while undergoing numerous internal upgrades.
During the summer, the team in Dover moved to a new building, which offers expanded access
to the community while saving more than $150,000 in rent for 2019 alone. Overall, the cost savings from the move will accumulate
to more than $2 million over the next 15 years. The move continues
4 | Delaware Department of Insurance
a trend of increasing departmental accessibility. The department opened a new location in Sussex County in 2018. See “Big Moves
in Dover” on page 14.
The theme of increasing accessibility has become paramount to the department’s interaction with the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace. Despite a current lack of competition on the local Marketplace, Commissioner
Navarro was able to announce
a 19% average rate decrease prior to 2019 Open Enrollment. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware originally proposed a rate decrease of 5.8%, but the department was able to identify additional potential savings for consumers. This is the
first and only rate decrease seen
on the Delaware Marketplace since its opening in 2013. The healthcare access tool was used by nearly 24,000 residents, with 2019’s Open