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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Todd Eachus |
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Eachus unveils Health PAct during Press Club address
Plan would expand and improve access to affordable, quality health care
HARRISBURG, March 30 – During a speech to the Pennsylvania Press Club today, state House Majority Leader Todd A. Eachus, D-Luzerne, unveiled Health PAct, a package of bills that focuses on providing and enhancing access to basic care.
Eachus said lawmakers cannot wait any longer to address the severe problems of Pennsylvania's health-care system, especially amid a national economic recession and mounting unemployment.
"The leading cause of bankruptcy for American families is the cost of dealing with medical hardships with either inadequate health insurance coverage, or no coverage at all," Eachus said. "As unemployment climbs and businesses move away from employer-based coverage, the crisis of the uninsured is reaching epidemic proportions.
"This is not rhetoric. These are the cold, hard facts about the health-care crisis we are facing in Pennsylvania."
Health PAct contains six proposals, some of which are initiatives House Democrats have promoted in the past. But Eachus said the new legislative session presents a golden opportunity to refocus on helping the state's most vulnerable citizens obtain access to basic care.
"House Democrats have been pushing for health-care reform for several years now, but we have faced opposition by our counterparts in the Senate," Eachus added. "But we are not deterred in our effort. This session we are once again dedicated to keeping the pact we made with the people of Pennsylvania to improve and increase access to affordable, quality health care."
House Democrat's Health PAct proposals include:
· H.B. 838, introduced by Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Mercer, would offer parents the option of extending their health insurance coverage to their uninsured children through age 29. The bill has already passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
· H.B. 173, introduced by Eachus, would reauthorize the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, or PHC4. This legislation could be passed as early as Monday afternoon.
· H.B. 746, introduced by Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, would reform Small Group Health Insurance by prohibiting medical underwriting by any insurance company in the small group market. Pennsylvania is one of only two states in the country that has no limit on rating factors in the small group insurance market.
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H.B. 746 also would provide the Insurance Commissioner with the power to review and either approve or deny all rating filings from insurers of small businesses.
· H.B. 84, also introduced by DeLuca, would establish the "Preventable Serious Adverse Events Act." The bill would prohibit any health-care provider responsible for causing serious medical errors from seeking payment from a patient or health payer to cover the costs of those errors.
· H.B. 1089, introduced by Rep. Robert Matzie, D-Allegheny/Beaver, would provide increased coverage for Pennsylvanians by implementing the federal COBRA continuation of health insurance coverage rules for small group plans.
· H.B. 1, to be introduced by Eachus, would expand access to basic care by building upon the existing adultBasic Program. This proposal is similar to the PA ABC program introduced by Eachus last session.
"Although the House passed the PA ABC expansion initiative last year, the measure was unable to achieve passage in the Senate," Eachus said. "In today's economy, with more and more Pennsylvanians losing their jobs and their health insurance coverage, it is absolutely critical that both chambers work together to find a way to expand this important program.
"Health PAct is the House Democrats' commitment toward the goal of providing health-care coverage to all Pennsylvanians – especially the most vulnerable -- while also containing health-care costs for the long-term," he added. "It makes sense both morally and economically to increase access to affordable and effective health-care coverage."