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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Deberah Kula |
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Kula votes to extend insurance coverage to thousands of uninsured Pa. adults
HARRISBURG, June 29 – State Rep. Deb Kula, D-Fayette/Westmoreland, today voted for legislation
(H.B. 1) that would expand access to and improve Pennsylvania's adultBasic health insurance program.
Kula said there are roughly 15,000 uninsured adults ages 19 to 64 living in Fayette County, and 21,000 living in Westmoreland County, according to data collected in late 2007 and early 2008 by Market Decisions LLC, on behalf of the state Insurance Department. An estimated 877,900 uninsured adults live in the state.
"I voted in favor of House Bill 1 because the number of uninsured people living in Pennsylvania continues to rise and this bill would connect the less fortunate with basic health care coverage that everyone deserves," Kula said.
House Bill 1 would expand the number of adultBasic enrollees and add fundamental benefits including prescription medications, chronic disease management, preventative and wellness care, and behavioral health care.
"Because the bill would add prescription drug and behavioral health coverage, Pennsylvania's adultBasic program would qualify for federal funding," Kula said. "That funding would secure 54 cents on the dollar, which would be a huge subsidy for our program and the uninsured."
To be eligible for adultBasic coverage under H.B. 1, a person would have to:
· earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level;
· be a Pennsylvania resident at the time of application and a legal resident of the United States;
· not have insurance or have been insured for the six months immediately preceding application;
· not be eligible for Medicare; and
· be between 19 and 64 years of age.
House Bill 1 is a central component of Health PAct, the House Democrats' package of bills aimed at reforming the state's health-care system. The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
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