2025 Delaware Legislative Session Summary

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Delawareans impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2025 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the Delaware General Assembly and the Meyer/Evans Gay Administration in support of the following priorities:

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Guaranteeing Cost-Free Preventive Services: HB 209 codifies cost-free preventive services and essential health benefits as found under the Affordable Care Act as of January 1, 2025. The bill has passed both houses of the General Assembly and awaits Governor Meyer’s consideration. ACS CAN submitted written testimony in support of the legislation.
• Medical Debt: Legislation (SB 156) prohibiting the reporting of medical debt when determining credit ratings passed both houses of the General Assembly and was signed by the Governor. In addition, the Governor entered into a contract with the non-profit Undue Medical Debt to expend $500,000 to wipe away $50,000,000 of medical debt from some 17,000 Delawareans.
• Biomarker Testing: SB 120 would have required public and private insurance coverage of biomarker testing. Concerns over cost have put a hold on the bill for now, but it is still alive for the 2026 session. We will advocate the bill receive funding within the Governor’s FY26 budget submission.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: Funding for Delaware’s Screening for Life program, the program that offers free screening tests for breast, cervical, colon, lung, and prostate cancer, slightly decreased to $1.8027 million.

Reducing the Toll of Tobacco

• Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Funding: funding for statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs saw a small increase up to $9.9 million. 
• Tobacco Tax: HB 215, introduced by Speaker Minor-Brown and co-sponsored by House and Senate Leadership, would have raised the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.50 and increased the tax on most other tobacco products from 30% of wholesale to 43%. While not passed this legislative session, the bill is still alive for consideration next year.