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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Todd A. Eachus |
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Eachus plan to expand health care access passes House
HARRISBURG, June 29 – A proposal introduced by House Majority Leader Todd A. Eachus, D-Luzerne, which would expand and improve access to affordable, quality health care for more than 130,000 Pennsylvania adults passed the House on Monday.
Eachus said the proposal (H.B. 1) would strengthen the state's adultBasic program by providing access to care for an additional 85,000 people in need. Currently, the state's adultBasic program provides coverage for 46,000 Pennsylvanians between the ages of 19 and 64.
"We are in the most difficult economic situation since the Great Depression, and citizens across Pennsylvania are losing their health-care coverage," Eachus said. "We all understand that access to affordable health care is an important piece of the puzzle in helping people weather this current economic storm."
Eachus said H.B. 1 also would add vital benefits to the current adultBasic program, including prescription medications, chronic disease management, preventive and wellness care, and behavioral health care. By adding these benefits, Eachus said Pennsylvania would be able to draw down federal funds to help pay for expanding coverage to more residents.
"Over the last several years, we have been working to improve and reform the health-care system in Pennsylvania and I think we have a proposal now that can accomplish our goal of covering more working adults while reducing the costs of care in the long term," Eachus said. "Plus, we will be drawing down significant federal funding that will make up 54 percent of the cost of this plan. It would be foolish for Pennsylvania to leave those federal dollars on the table, especially at a time when more and more adults are left without coverage."
Eachus said the proposal also contains a provision authored by Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, that would help to retain doctors in Pennsylvania by creating the Physician Retention Loan Forgiveness Program. The program would reimburse certain physicians licensed in the Commonwealth up to 100 percent of their medical school loans. Eachus said eligible physicians must practice in a medically underserved or primary care health professional shortage area and agree to practice in Pennsylvania for a minimum of 10 years.
House Bill 1 is a central component of Health PAct, the House Democrats' package of bills aimed at protecting the state's most vulnerable citizens and reforming the state's health-care system, Eachus said.
"The number one cause of bankruptcy for working families in this country is the lack of health insurance," Eachus said. "With the economy still lagging, many Pennsylvanians are one illness or one major injury away from losing everything. House Bill 1 will protect working families against the financial threat posed by the lack of health coverage – especially in today's difficult economic times."