FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Jesse White D-Washington/Allegheny/Beaver www.pahouse.com/white

White hopes Senate will work with House

to protect health of more working Pennsylvanians

HARRISBURG, June 30 -- State Rep. Jesse White, D-Washington/Allegheny/Beaver, today said he hopes the Senate will give serious consideration to the bill (H.B. 1) passed by the House Tuesday that would expand access to and improve Pennsylvania's adultBasic health insurance program.

The measure passed by a 104-96 vote.

"Through this legislation, we can cover thousands more working Pennsylvania adults who are not provided health insurance through their employer and are unable to afford health insurance on their own," White said.

In addition to expanding the program to cover more uninsured adults, the bill would also add fundamental benefits to adultBasic, including prescription medications, chronic disease management, preventative and wellness care, and behavioral health care.

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;

· not have insurance nor have been insured for the six months immediately preceding application;

· not be eligible for Medicare; and

· be between 19 and 64 years of age.

"I hope the Senate will recognize the wisdom of House Bill 1, rather than be penny-wise and pound-foolish for the sake of political posturing," White said. "By opening access to health insurance for more working adult Pennsylvanians, they can get treated for conditions that, without addressing them in the early stages, could prove chronic or even life-threatening and cost much more to treat later on.

"Not only can that save lives and suffering, it would help us reduce the economic impact on hospitals that must treat the uninsured for acute care that they cannot pay for – something that affects everyone else's hospital bills."

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.