Boyle preventive care bill including mental health protections passes House
Rep. Kevin Boyle June 26, 2023 | 6:09 PM
HARRISBURG, June 26 – Today, H.B. 1050, introduced by PA House Insurance Committee Chair Kevin Boyle, D-Phila., passed the Pennsylvania House and is headed to the Senate for future consideration.
This bill would require health insurers to cover preventive health care services including mental health treatment without cost-sharing.
A similar federal law is part of the federal Affordable Care Act, which gives Americans access to no-cost preventive health care. But earlier this year, a judge in Texas struck down that part of the Affordable Care Act. If appeals are unsuccessful, millions of Pennsylvanians could lose access to potentially life-saving preventative health care such as cancer screenings, depression and anxiety screenings, multiple vaccines, and annual well-woman visits.
Boyle’s legislation would protect Pennsylvanians regardless of what the federal courts do.
“Regardless of what the federal courts decide, we must ensure all Pennsylvanians have access to life-saving preventive health care without having to pay a copay, coinsurance or deductible,” Boyle said. “I urge my Senate colleagues to do right by the millions of Pennsylvanians who need these crucial preventive care services and get this bill to Governor Shapiro’s desk to be signed into law.”
According to Boyle, over 80 advocacy groups support this bill because it protects preventive care services.