Wellness and Health
The State of Health Care
Q&A with Christen Linke Young, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services SWORN IN LAST OCTOBER, Christen Linke Young leads the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services at a consequential time for the state. A nationally recognized health policy leader with more than 15 years of experience in federal and state government, she now oversees one of Delaware’s largest agencies, which plays a central role in the well-being of communities across the state. We caught up with her to discuss her role and the work ahead. You stepped into this role at a pivotal time for Delaware’s health care system. What are your top priorities for the Department of Health and Social Services in the year ahead? Health care should be a right, not a privilege — but for too many Delawareans, access to the health care they need is out of reach. Whether it is high and rising health care prices, federal policy changes that are causing Americans to lose health insurance, or a lack of accessible primary care providers, Delaware families face burdens in getting the care they need. To address these challenges, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is grounded in three priorities: • Responding to and mitigating federal policy changes — to help Delaware families keep their health insurance and benefits amid new restrictions. • Innovation and excellence in our services — to continue to drive efficiency and high-quality outcomes for those with complex health and social needs with whom we interact every day. • Lowering the cost of health care — because Delaware families, businesses, and our state budget are burdened by high costs, and policy change is necessary to drive greater value and accountability in our health care system. Across all of this, our goal is to build a system that is more sustainable, more coordinated, and better aligned with the needs of the people we serve. Delaware was recently awarded federal Rural Health Transformation Grants aimed at expanding care in underserved communities. What impact do you hope these funds will have for providers and patients? This is a generational opportunity to strengthen health care across the state. First and foremost, we are using these funds to rapidly expand the state’s health care workforce, launching Delaware’s first-ever four-year medical school, and building new training pathways for nonphysician clinicians that are needed in all three counties. We are also investing in nontraditional access points for health care services through mobile units, schools, and libraries, while taking targeted steps to address the upstream drivers of chronic disease. Investments in new technology will also allow us to ease administrative burdens that plague today’s health care system. 44
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At its core, this is about partnership. When employers, providers, payers, and the state are aligned, we can create a system that supports lower costs, economic growth, and better health outcomes for Delawareans. For providers, these investments are designed to reduce fragmentation and support long-term sustainability, particularly as the system continues to shift toward value-based care. For patients, the impact should be clearer access points, more coordinated care, and better health outcomes over time. How do we make health care more affordable for Delawareans? Per capita health care costs in Delaware are among the highest in the nation, and concentrated markets mean that Delawareans pay health care prices that are too high. For decades, the health care economy has rewarded the provision of more services at higher prices. While there has been some incremental change over the last 15 years, reforms do not go far enough or fast enough to provide relief to Delaware families and businesses. May/June 2026
| DELAWARE BUSINESS
4/28/26 2:34 PM