Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 2517A – Penalties
(a) A health-care provider who fails to act in accordance with the requirements of this chapter is subject to discipline for professional misconduct.
Attorney's Note
Under the Delaware Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class G felony | up to 2 years | |
| Class A misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $2,300 |
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 2517A
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Secretary: means the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services or such persons as may be designated by the Secretary. See Delaware Code Title 16 Sec. 101
(b) A health-care institution that intentionally fails to act in accordance with the requirements of this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for each offense. For the purposes of this subsection, each violation shall constitute a separate offense.
(c) An emergency-care provider subject to regulation by the Department who intentionally fails to act in accordance with the requirements of this chapter is subject to such disciplinary measures as the Secretary of Department deems necessary and consistent with the Department’s statutory authority.
(d) An individual who intentionally or knowingly commits any of the following acts is guilty of a class G felony:
(1) Concealing, canceling, defacing, obliterating, or withholding personal knowledge of a completed DMOST form or a modification or revocation thereof, without the patient’s consent, or if the patient lacks decision-making capacity, without the consent of the patient’s authorized representative;
(2) Falsifying or forging a completed DMOST form or a modification or revocation thereof; or
(3) Coercing or fraudulently inducing the completion of a DMOST form or a modification or revocation thereof by a patient or, if a patient lacks decision-making capacity, by a patient’s authorized representative.
(e) Any organization that is a health-care provider, health-care institution, or “person” as defined in § 102(11) of Title 18 who intentionally or knowingly requires or prohibits the completion of a DMOST form or a modification or revocation thereof as a condition of coverage under any policy of health or life insurance, or an annuity, or a public benefits program, or as a condition of the provision of health care is guilty of a class A misdemeanor for each and every act or violation, and may be subject to suspension or revocation of such person’s authority to do business in Delaware.
(f) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to repeal any sanctions applicable under any other law.
(g) The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction over all civil monetary penalties and offenses under this chapter.