This week’s DETV News roundup covers major Medicare and Medicaid changes coming to Delaware, a possible boost to the 2027 Social Security COLA, a new Delaware school intervention plan, Lewes honoring the legacy of Johnnie Walker Beach, and when Delaware could see its first snow. Watch the full report above, then read the details on each story below.
Medicare and Medicaid Changes Coming to Delaware
Major changes are coming to Medicare and Medicaid, and they could affect thousands of Delawareans.
Medicaid changes first. Beginning Oct. 1, new federal rules will narrow which non-U.S. citizens can receive full Medicaid benefits. Delaware says some refugees, asylum recipients and people with other humanitarian immigration statuses could lose full Medicaid coverage, although exceptions remain for some groups, including certain children and pregnant women.
Then, beginning Jan. 1, another major change takes effect for many adults covered through Medicaid expansion. Certain adults between ages 19 and 64 will have to work, attend school or job training, volunteer, or take part in another approved activity for at least 80 hours a month, unless they qualify for an exemption. Exemptions include people with disabilities or serious health conditions, pregnant women, certain caregivers and others. Medicaid renewals for that expansion population will also move from once a year to every six months.
Medicare is different. It primarily covers people 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. But a new federal law is also narrowing Medicare eligibility for some lawfully present immigrants, including certain refugees and asylum recipients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says Medicare eligibility going forward will generally be limited to U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and some people covered under Compacts of Free Association.
Delaware health officials are urging Medicaid recipients to make sure their address, phone number and immigration information are up to date, and to watch for mail, email and messages from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). For more health coverage from DETV, visit our Healthy Delaware page.
Social Security COLA Could Rise in 2027
Social Security recipients could see a bigger cost-of-living increase next year.
The latest forecasts put the 2027 Social Security COLA at about 3.5% to 3.6%. AARP is projecting a 3.6% increase, while The Senior Citizens League is estimating 3.5%. Both would be higher than this year’s 2.8% adjustment.
So what could that mean for your monthly check? If the final increase comes in at 3.6%, someone receiving $2,000 a month would get about $72 more each month. A $2,500 benefit would increase by about $90. AARP estimates the average retired worker could see roughly $75 more per month under its forecast.
None of this is official yet. The cost-of-living adjustment is based on inflation during July, August and September, and only the first two months of data are in so far. The final September inflation report is expected Oct. 14, and the Social Security Administration is expected to announce the official 2027 adjustment that same day. The new benefit amounts would then take effect in January.
Delaware Weighs New School Intervention Plan
Delaware education officials are considering a new framework that could eventually allow the state to take greater control of chronically underperforming schools.
Education Secretary Cindy Marten presented the draft School Performance and Support Framework to the State Board of Education last week. The proposal creates five levels of increasing support and accountability. At the lower tiers, schools could receive additional coaching, academic support and more frequent improvement reviews.
If a school continues to struggle, state involvement would increase. By tier four, the Department of Education could directly intervene and potentially require changes in school leadership or staffing. At tier five, a school could enter what the state calls receivership, giving the Department of Education greater authority over instruction, leadership, operations and governance. Education officials stress that receivership would not mean permanent state control.
The Delaware State Education Association says it supports providing more resources to struggling schools but has concerns about a possible state takeover, along with questions about another part of the proposal dealing with third-grade retention.
The framework is still a draft. The Department of Education says some portions would require approval from lawmakers or changes to state regulations. Officials are now collecting public feedback as they refine the proposal ahead of the General Assembly’s 2027 session.
Lewes Honors the Legacy of Johnnie Walker Beach
In Lewes, the community gathered Saturday to celebrate the life and legacy of Johnnie Walker, a Black entrepreneur who helped create a welcoming gathering place for African American families during segregation. The beach along Georgia Avenue was once known simply as Beach 2.
During the Jim Crow era, it was designated as the beach for Black residents and visitors. In 1958, Walker opened a restaurant and dance hall along the shoreline, and it quickly became a center of social life for African American families in Lewes. Walker died in 1992, but his impact on the community endured.
In 2021, Beach 2 was officially renamed Johnnie Walker Beach with support from the Lewes African American Heritage Commission. Organizers say preserving the story matters not only because of the beach’s history of segregation, but because of what generations of families built there despite those restrictions.
Saturday’s gathering celebrated that history, and the transformation of a place once defined by exclusion into one associated with pride, connection and community.
When Could Delaware See Its First Snow?
We’re only in September, but some Delawareans are already asking the big question: when could we see our first snow?
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, much of the Mid-Atlantic typically sees its first snowfall sometime between late November and December. But don’t pull out the snow shovel just yet.
The almanac says this is not a forecast for a specific storm. It’s a climatological guide based on historical patterns and averages. As for the first frost, the Farmers’ Almanac puts Delaware in the late-October to mid-November window, and Dover’s typical first frost date is around Oct. 31.
Looking farther ahead, the Farmers’ Almanac is calling for a fairly changeable winter across the Northeast. For Delaware, that could mean plenty of precipitation-type uncertainty, with some storms bringing rain while others could produce sleet, freezing rain or snow depending on temperatures and the exact storm track. The almanac says January and February are the months to watch most closely for winter precipitation across the region.
The bottom line: Delaware’s first flakes could arrive by late November or December, but there’s no specific snowstorm on the calendar just yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Delaware’s new Medicaid rules take effect?
The rule narrowing full Medicaid eligibility by immigration status begins Oct. 1. The new work, school, training or volunteer requirement for adults ages 19 to 64 covered through Medicaid expansion begins Jan. 1.
How much could the 2027 Social Security COLA raise my check?
Forecasts range from 3.5% to 3.6%. At 3.6%, a $2,000 monthly check would rise by about $72, and a $2,500 check would rise by about $90. The official number is expected Oct. 14.
When will Delaware likely see its first snow?
Based on Farmers’ Almanac climate patterns, most of the Mid-Atlantic typically sees its first snowfall between late November and December, though no specific snowstorm is on the calendar yet.
Watch the full DETV News report above for all five stories, including these Medicare and Medicaid changes, and subscribe to DETV on YouTube for more Delaware news updates.
