Pennsylvania lawmakers and advocates call for medical debt relief bill Read more
Grants available as of Tuesday, Feb. 27 Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 27 – Today, state Reps. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., and Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna, held a news conference at the State Capitol to discuss the importance of alleviating medical debt for Pennsylvanians who need it most. Last spring, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation ( H.B. 78 ) that would establish the Pennsylvania Medical Debt Repayment Program, which would target the medical debt of low-income Pennsylvanians drowning in it and in need of relief. The legislation is currently sitting in the PA Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Medical debt relief is also a top priority for Gov. Josh Shapiro who, in his state budget address for the 2024-25 fiscal year, proposed investing $4 million to wipe it out for thousands of Pennsylvanians. State officials estimate that roughly 1 million Pennsylvanians carry some amount of medical debt. As of Dec. 2020, Pennsylvanians collectively share more than $1.8 billion in medical debt in a collections stage. “The toll of medical debt is staggering, with some reports showing that nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have gone into debt due to healthcare costs,” Khan said. “Medical debt makes us sicker because it prevents people from seeking preventative care and in some cases skipping healthcare services all together. It’s time the legislature addresses this issue that plagues countless Pennsylvanians.” Read more
"The legislation that we passed today, House Bill 1869, would require restaurants in our commonwealth to have a display for their employees in a written manner about food allergies," said Venkat. Read more
"I think too often we think of public transit as an urban issue. As someone who represents suburban communities, I really want to learn more about how we can be an integrated region. Because that's when we have a thriving economy for everyone," Rep. Arvind Venkat said. Read more
Venkat’s bill passed the state House 114-89 without a specific price tag attached but hasn’t advanced in the GOP-controlled state Senate. The future of Shapiro’s proposal is tied up in the coming budget debate. Read more
“With this grant, we ensure that students at the A.W. Beattie Career Center have access to equipment of the highest quality while they continue their education,” Venkat said. “As more than 8.3 million high school students participate in career and technical education programs across the U.S., we have the opportunity to ensure students from the Avonworth, Hampton, and North Allegheny school districts and many others across Allegheny County are prepared to enter into the workforce, in turn boosting Pennsylvania’s economy. I’m proud to have such an innovative career and technical center in McCandless.” Read more
“In the U.S., emergency physicians treat approximately 3.4 million patients for allergic reactions to food,” Venkat said. “I introduced this legislation after speaking to my constituent, Kathy Briden, whose son Matthew died after accidentally being exposed to peanuts while eating at a restaurant. As an emergency physician, I treated patients experiencing allergic reactions, and we must improve food safety at restaurants to prevent deaths such as Matthew’s.” Read more
The award was through the Department of Community and Economic Development, which Hawk applied for with the assistance of state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-McCandless. Read more
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“By allocating these grants, we ensure that our EMS providers and firefighters have the ability to operate,” Venkat said. “Our EMS providers and firefighters work to save lives, and this funding will allow them to continue their crucial work.” Read more
We're talking about the issues that matter to the people of Allegheny County. Read more
“Through this funding, we will have the opportunity to keep McCandless’ roads safer by equipping the McCandless Police Department and its officers with cameras to read license plates,” Venkat said. “This will ensure that our police officers have the most up to date equipment while patrolling the community.” Read more
One of the most striking aspects of the budget is the proposal to use $4 million in taxpayer money to clear up to $400 million in medical debt for Pennsylvania's poorest residents. This plan mirrors a bill introduced by state Rep. Arvind Venkat and aims to alleviate the financial burden of medical debt, which can negatively impact credit scores and financial stability. Read more
In light of this, some states are proposing measures aimed at alleviating medical debt. For example, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed a budget plan to clear up to $400 million in medical debt, targeting the state’s poorest and most underwater residents. This proposal mirrors a bill introduced by state Representative Arvind Venkat, aiming to contract with a medical debt relief coordinator to locate and buy outstanding bills. Despite being backed by advocacy groups, the proposal’s future is up for debate, with some expressing concerns about high spending in the proposed budget. Read more
Shapiro’s proposal mirrors a bill introduced by state Rep. Arvind Venkat (D., Allegheny), a practicing emergency room doctor. Read more
Grants available as of Thursday, Feb. 8 Read more
“Everybody agrees that medical debt is a bad thing. Unlike a loan for college or mortgage debt, no one takes it on willingly. It comes on when you least expect it,” said Venkat, a Pittsburgh-area emergency room physician and the lone legislator-physician currently elected to the General Assembly. Read more
“In our commonwealth, more than 10% of Pennsylvanians have an average of $1,473 in medical debt in collections, which prevents them from accessing health care, as well as contributes to their financial burdens,” Venkat said. “As a practicing emergency physician, I treated a woman who delayed breast cancer treatment due to medical debt. As a result, the cancer spread, and she died. By alleviating medical debt as part of the 2024-25 budget, we can ensure patients have access to necessary medical treatment, aid providers with struggling finances, and reduce health care cost pressures that affect all of us. This is a win for all Pennsylvanians.” Read more
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