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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep.
Nick Kotik
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Kotik introduces bill in response to federal health care act
HARRISBURG, May 12 – State Rep. Nick Kotik, D-Allegheny, said today he has introduced legislation that aims to expand health insurance coverage and reduce costs in Pennsylvania.
The bill (H.B. 2514) is designed to provide health insurance coverage to uninsured individuals with pre-existing conditions.
"Millions of people are living in Pennsylvania without health insurance and over 100,000 of them are denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition," Kotik said. "My plan addresses this particular "high-risk" sector of the uninsured because they should have affordable access to hospital services, prescriptions, emergency services, home-health care and outpatient services."
Kotik's legislation, the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Plan, is in response to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and would require the state to create a high-risk insurance pool or allow the federal government to administer a pool which would include qualifying citizens of the Commonwealth.
"This would create the first-ever high risk pool in the state," Kotik said. "It would meet all of the federal requirements, therefore making us eligible for millions in federal funds to help provide coverage."
To qualify under federal law, eligible individuals must be a U.S. citizen, cannot be insured for the six-month period prior to applying for coverage and have a pre-existing condition.
According to Kotik's bill, a board would be established to operate and control provisions of the plan in Pennsylvania. The board would be comprised of legislative appointments from two domestic insurance providers, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the medical provider community and five members from the general public.
"The board would establish how the plan would operate, select an administrator and publicize the plan so no one would slip through the cracks," said Kotik.
The legislation has been referred to the House Insurance Committee.