Affordable Care Act

Bill Restricting Abortion Coverage No Long Shot, Says Senate GOP

Mary Wilson — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:43:25 +0000

A state Senate committee has passed a proposal to restrict abortion coverage in health insurance plans provided through Pennsylvania's federally mandated exchange.

Last session, similar measures passed the House and Senate independently, but neither one made it through the entire legislative gauntlet.

But with the 2014 operational date for health care exchanges right around the corner, Senate GOP spokesman Erik Arneson said this measure may go to the finish line.

Backers of Medicaid Expansion Want Corbett to 'Stop Fooling Around'

Josh Raulerson — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:30:00 +0000

Labor and healthcare advocacy groups are using this April Fool's Day to make a point: that Gov. Tom Corbett's decision to forego a federally funded expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania is, well, foolish.

Members of three groups — Working America, the Pennsylvania Health Access Network and the Consumer Health Coalition — plan to deliver 9,000 petitions to Corbett's office urging the administration to lower eligibility requirements for the federal program.

Pennsylvanians Eligible for Health Insurance Tax Credits

Erika Beras and Jared Adkins — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:07:39 +0000

A new report from Families USA, a nonprofit group that advocates on behalf of health care consumers, says that 896,000 Pennsylvanians will be eligible for new health insurance premium tax credits in 2014.

These tax credits will pay for health coverage under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. Families will no longer have to pay for more than a set percentage of their income for health coverage.

“The lower your income, the higher your tax credit subsidy,” said Ron Pollack, Director of Families USA, “so it's tailored to help the people who need it the most.”

More GOP Senators Break With Corbett on Medicaid

Associated Press — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:20:37 +0000

A third Republican state senator is breaking with conservatives and Gov. Tom Corbett to support an expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

The Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reports Sen. Lloyd Smucker told a town hall meeting Wednesday that the federal dollars accompanying the expansion would ease the burden on Lancaster General and other hospitals that treat the uninsured.

Pennsylvania Fair Care to Stop Taking New Enrollees, Insurance Commissioner "Shocked"

Erika Beras — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:15:28 +0000

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Consedine says he was surprised by the announcement last week from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare that PCIP – Pre-existing condition insurance plans- a transition insurance program that is part of the Affordable Care Act - would cease to take new enrollees.

Pennsylvania’s plan called 'Pennsylvania Fair Care,' was set up in 2010, has 6,500 enrollees and averages about 200 new enrollees a month.