Mazzocco, Venkat, Samuelson to introduce legislation establishing small business healthcare tax credit
Rep. Jen Mazzocco & Rep. Arvind Venkat May 11, 2026 | 3:09 PM
HARRISBURG, May 11 – Today, state Reps. Jen Mazzocco, Arvind Venkat, and Steve Samuelson circulated a co-sponsorship memo for legislation to establish the Small Business Health Care Premiums Contribution Tax Credit.
The credit would apply to small businesses that contribute toward their employees’ health insurance premiums through a health reimbursement arrangement purchased through PENNIE, the Commonwealth’s official health insurance marketplace. The bill also includes safeguards related to the quality of health insurance purchased, mirroring laws already enacted in several states.
This legislation comes after the end of 2025, when enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act expired, leaving hundreds of thousands of Americans uninsured. In Pennsylvania, more than 130,000 PENNIE enrollees dropped their health plans for 2026. Many of the uninsured are employees of small businesses that cannot afford to provide group health insurance policies.
“We are in a full-blown affordability crisis, and this extends to the complex issue of healthcare,” Mazzocco said. “Without a solution from the federal government, we need to do what we can to protect Pennsylvania families, and this bill is an important step toward closing coverage gaps while keeping affordability top of mind.”
Venkat, who also serves as a board member for PENNIE, worked on the bill following his own experiences in the healthcare field.
“As an emergency physician, I have seen how affordable health insurance can make the difference in whether someone seeks care,” Venkat said. “This legislation will help our small businesses contribute toward the health insurance their employees need and help more Pennsylvanians obtain high-quality healthcare that fits their budgets. I look forward to working with Rep. Mazzocco and Chair Samuelson on this legislation.”
For more information on the co-sponsorship memo, visit https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=48712.