HARRISBURG, May 13 – In a move to help fight medical debt, the Pennsylvania House today passed bipartisan legislation that would ensure patients are better informed about hospital-based financial assistance programs and how to access them, announced the bill’s co-prime sponsor, state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny. House Bill 79 , which Venkat introduced with state Reps. Nate Davidson, Tarik Khan, Bridget M. Kosierowski, Andrew Kuzma, Jim Rigby and Tim Twardzik, would mandate the development of standardized, plain-language hospital financial aid forms, which would be shared with patients on intake and discharge, displayed on billing paperwork and posted publicly on hospital and state health websites. “Hospital-based financial aid can help patients avoid life-altering medical debt, yet many patients are unaware that these programs even exist or how to access them,” said Venkat, an emergency physician and legislator who sits on the House Health Committee. “Our legislation would make sure patients receive this information in a standardized, easily understandable format so they can reap the benefits of these programs. Our bill would also require hospitals to suspend billing pending a decision on the patient’s application. Making the system more accessible and user-friendly for patients will help prevent all Pennsylvanians from accumulating medical debt.” “As a nurse practitioner, I’ve seen how crushing medical Read more
“This is an opportunity for everyone to get together to talk about one of the most vital issues facing our communities -- keeping people safe," Probst said. Read more
With the continued success of the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone, state Rep. Josh Siegel today released the following statement regarding the modest increase in state and local tax revenue in 2024: Read more
“The I-80 expansion as currently designed is not sustainable, not community-centered, and not acceptable,” Probst said. “We must take a pause and re-evaluate this project before irreparable harm is done.” Read more
State Rep. Peter Schweyer today announced his community solar bill passed the state House. Read more
State Rep. Josh Siegel released the below statement regarding yesterday’s state Senate vote on banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports at the collegiate and K-12 levels: Read more
State Rep. Kyle Donahue will host his spring shredding event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10 at the North Pocono Middle School Parking Lot, 701 Church St. in Moscow, PA. Read more
In their commitment to ensure that their community is knowledgeable about what state programs are available to them, state Rep. Jeanne McNeill and state Sen. Nick Miller hosted a senior fair and veterans’ expo today. Read more
In his latest Community Conversation, Pa. state Rep. Peter Schweyer sat down with Allentown's Director of Parks and Recreation Mandy Tolino to highlight a variety of projects that will enhance and expand recreational facilities across the city. Read more
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski hosted a well-attended and informative Medicare 101 Seminar on April 30, 2025, aimed at helping seniors and their families navigate the complexities of Medicare coverage options. Read more
Continuing their work to invest in career and technical education in the Lehigh Valley, state Reps. Peter Schweyer, Mike Schlossberg and Josh Siegel, in collaboration with state Sen. Nick Miller, announced grant funding totaling $525,000 was awarded to two educational institutions in the community. Read more
In response to the alarming rise in threats, harassment, and violence targeting public officials, state Rep. Josh Siegel announced today that he is introducing legislation to impose life sentences without the possibility of parole for individuals who attack, plot, or carry out violence against elected officials in Pennsylvania. Read more
State Rep. Josh Siegel today praised the Allentown Police Department for their rapid and effective response to a shooting that occurred yesterday on Hamilton Street in downtown Allentown. Read more
After the announcement of the relocation of the Allentown Art Museum, state Rep. Josh Siegel released the below statement: Read more
With fewer and fewer print newspapers remaining, it is difficult for local governments to meet the current statutory requirement for legal notices. Read more
Multiple grant programs are currently open for applications. Read more
State Rep. Josh Siegel released the following statement after the announcement that Mack Trucks is laying off between 250 and 350 workers at its Macungie facility, a devastating blow to Lehigh Valley workers and a clear signal of the dangerous economic instability being fueled by the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff policies: Read more
State Rep. Josh Siegel issued the following statement on the Allentown LGBTQ+ resolution ahead of tonight’s city council meeting in Allentown: Read more
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP by calling Madden’s office at 570-894-7905 or emailing RepMadden@pahouse.net. Read more
"Advancements in science have led to other medications that work to effectively and humanely allow people to detox and begin recovery without going through the painful withdrawal that is often associated with other opioid medications like methadone,” Madden said. Read more
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