House Democrats delivering on health care
This week at the state Capitol,
House Democrats took significant steps to improve Pennsylvanians' access to health care and protect elderly residents.
The House Insurance Committee on Wednesday
approved a measure sponsored by House Majority Leader Todd Eachus to
expand and improve access
to affordable, quality health care for thousands of Pennsylvanians who are now among the ranks of the uninsured.
The House also
delivered to the governor legislation that would make COBRA health insurance coverage available to state residents who work for small-business employers and are laid off, as well as extend a 65 percent reduction in COBRA premiums authorized under the federal stimulus law to those workers.
Legislation that would extend the
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council for another five years also was sent to the governor. The Council is crucial to controlling health-care costs as it compiles data from health maintenance organizations and hospitals on surgical outcomes, quality of care, infection rates and hospital finances.
And, as we stood with the governor to
unveil a proposal that would expand the state's prescription drug programs to cover an additional 30,000 senior citizens without additional costs to taxpayers, we affirmed our commitment to improve health care for Pennsylvanians
across all stages of life.
There is perhaps no more important population to protect than our children. That is why House Democrats are committed to ensuring every child in Pennsylvania is covered with health insurance through CHIP.
The Senate Republican budget proposal,
S.B. 850, cut funding to CHIP that would have enabled the state to cover all children in Pennsylvania. House Democrats are
committed to restoring that funding so that no child in Pennsylvania is left without health-care coverage.
House Democrats will continue to fight for the needs of working Pennsylvanians, senior citizens and children as we work to craft a responsible state budget. For more information, and to find out how you can help, visit
www.pahouse.com.
