State Expansions: Pennsylvania
Since January 2007, Governor Rendell has been championing his Prescription for Pennsylvania proposal to significantly expand health coverage for low- and middle-income families. The Prescription for Pennsylvania plan includes a public-private coverage partnership called Cover All Pennsylvanians (CAP), a cost-containment agenda, and a quality improvement platform.
For an in-depth look at Governor Rendell's original expansion proposal, see Pennsylvania's 2007 Health Care Proposal: Prescription for Pennsylvania. (Families USA, July 2007)
The plan has since been moving through the legislature in separate bills. On March 17, 2008, the House of Representatives passed SB 1137 and sent it to the Senate. The bill included the Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (ABC) plan that would subsidize the purchase of health insurance by uninsured individuals earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($35,200 for a family of three in 2008), and it would also subsidize small businesses that employ low-wage workers and provide group health insurance coverage. The House also passed HB 2005, which would reform the private health insurance market for small businesses and individuals. The bill includes provisions to:
- Prohibit insurers from setting premiums based on pre-existing conditions;
- Require insurers to spend at least 85 cents of every premium dollar collected on medical services (instead of on overhead and profit);
- Implement oversight of premium increases; and
- Standardize benefits to allow apples-to-apples comparisons.
Unfortunately, Democratic and Republican legislators have been unable to enact a compromise bill as of yet. However, lawmakers successfully passed a law banning mandatory nurse overtime, an achievement advocates believe will improve health care quality and reduce medical errors. Furthermore, Governor Rendell maintains that health care reform is a critical goal for the remaining years of his administration. At the start of the next two-year legislative session, the health reform bills will be reintroduced, and advocates are optimistic that lawmakers will succeed in finding common ground when they reconvene.
Pennsylvania Expansion Resources
For general resources on state expansions, see Other Resources.
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